240 THE HORSE. 



" Notwithstanding the unexpected success of Maria, she 

 seemed still to have but few r^a^'adiuirers ; although her owner 

 and his friends stood manfully by her, and kept their spirits up 

 to the betting point. Trifle was still the favorite, and it was a 

 settled thing, 'at all events,' that Maria was not to 'win the 

 money.' Lady Relief, at this moment, had not attracted much 

 attention, except from one circumstance. Her saddle — which 

 was a very small one — slipped from under her rider, who, never- 

 theless — as his girths had not parted — stoutly kept his seat upon 

 her hare hack — his feet in the stirrups, with the saddle before 

 him ! It was observed, however, that she ran with great spirit ; 

 and what she 'might do^ the wise ones could not tell. 



" At the start for the second heat Black Maria appeared 

 calm — as is usual with her — while Trifle and Lady Relief were 

 all animation. They w^ent oflF as if this heat was to be won by 

 rwmjm^, instead of waiting, as in the first heat; Relief taking 

 the lead, followed by Slim, then by Trifle, wdiile Black Maria 

 brought up the rear. Ere they had accomplished one mile, 

 however, Trifle had passed Relief and Slim, while Black Maria, 

 taking advantage of the rising ground, as you come up to the 

 judges' stand, thundered by them all, with her long strides, and 

 took up her station in front, closely followed by Trifle, Avhilst 

 the others again dropped behind. Indeed, the pace at which 

 they were running seemed so um-easonable to Miss Slim, that 

 she concluded that she would not keep such company any 

 longer ; and, as she could not run away from them by pursuing 

 her course upon the track, she very wisely abandoned it alto- 

 gether, at the end of the third — seventh — mile, and cptietly 

 w-alked oft' the course. Maria, in the mean time, led Trifle, with 

 apparent ease,- round the second, third, and fourth miles, until 

 you come to the ' run in.' And here her rider, instead of giv- 

 ing her the ' persuaders,' to make ' assurance doubly sure,' 

 turned his head round to look for his antagonist ; and he was 

 not long in finding her ; for Trifle, close at his heels, went at 

 him up the straight side, whip and spur, gradually gaining at 

 every steji. Maria's rider begins to ' look wild.' She is at her 

 throat-latch, and the judges' stand not six feet off. She makes 

 a desperate efibrt, and head and head they pass the stand — a 

 dead heat ! Time, 7.55. 



