THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 201 



accounted for. In the first place, he was rather short in 

 his answers ; in other words, if he did not appear to hold 

 his uncle cheaply, he appeared evidently to attach but 

 little weight to his general remarks and opinions. The 

 fact was, his uncle had never been at Melton. In the 

 next, he observed a thoughtfulness about him that was 

 not, he was certain, natural, and he now and then appeared 

 to be almost absorbed in thought. In fact, Mr. Beaumont 

 Kaby began to doubt whether his favourite nephew was 

 happy, and even put the question to him, to endeavour 

 to satisfy his mind on the subject. The answer was, of 

 course, in the affirmative. 



That Frank Raby was, at this time, quite happy, no 

 one will readily believe, and the cause of his not being 

 so will as readily present itself. He had embarked in a 

 speculation, the result of which was not only in itself 

 uncertain, but it was also apparent to him that he had 

 embarked in it rashly, and without the means of carrying 

 it through with any satisfaction to himself. He had 

 already put himself under an obligation to a friend, and 

 that a newly-acquired one, for the money his fillies had 

 cost, and he was further involved with him in the odds 

 he had taken for him at Tattersall's. In short, for the 

 first time in his life, he found himself in trouble, in 

 consequence of exceeding his means. But this was not 

 the utmost extent of it. He had subjected himself, also 

 for the first time, to a severe self-reproach for acting an 

 underhand part in the possession of his racing fillies in 

 fact, for having done what he feared to be known to 

 all the world, which he felt was quite repugnant to his 

 naturally ingenuous disposition. 



Within a week of the meeting, matters stood thus : 

 Rouge was third favourite for the Oaks, the odds being 

 only 8 to 1 against her, whereas, with respect to Euphro- 

 syne, they remained at 25. Nevertheless, in consequence 

 of her being in the same stable with Rouge, said to be 

 such a flyer, added to her being known to be a superior 

 goer, a good deal of money had been laid out upon her at 

 the above-named quotation, but not by the principal 

 bettors, further than to make up their books. As to her 

 owner, although he had taken the odds at least his noble 

 friend had done so for him to another hundred pounds, 

 on the Monday before the race, when they were only 12 

 to 1, he had not one shilling on Euphrosyne nor had 



