334 TUE UORSE. 



daintily forward to the stand, and when they halted at the score 

 the immense concourse, tliat had up to this moment been swaying 

 to and fro, were fixed as stone. It was a beautiful sight to see 

 these superb animals standing at the score, tilled with unknown 

 qualities of flight, and quietly awaiting the conclusion of the 

 directions to the riders for the tap of the drum. 



At length tlie tap of the drum came, and instantly it struck, 

 the stationary steeds leaped forward with a start that sent every 

 body's heart into the mouth. "With bound on bound, as if life 

 were staked on every spring, they flew up the quarter-stretch, 

 Lexington at the turn drawing his nose a shadow in advance, 

 but when they reached the half-mile post — 53 seconds — both 

 were exactly side by side. On they went at the same flying 

 pace, Lexington, again drawing gradually forward, first his neck, 

 then his shoulder, and increasing up the straight side amidst a 

 wild roar of cheers, flew by the stand at the end of the first 

 mile three-quarters of a length in the lead. " One hundred to 

 seventy-five on Lexington!" Time, 1.4:91. 



Onward they plunge, onward without pause ! What makes 

 this throbbing at my heart ? What are these brilliant brutes to 

 me ? Why do I lean forward and insensibly unite my voice with 

 the roar of this mad multitude ? Alas, I but share the infatua- 

 tion of the horses, and the levelling spii-it common to all strife has 

 seized on all alike. " Where are they now ? Ah, there they fly 

 round the first turn ! By heaven, Lecomte is overhauling him ! " 

 And so he was, for on entering the back stretch of the second 

 mile the hero of 7.26 made his most desperate efi'ort, reaching 

 first the girth, then the shoulder, then the neck of Lexington, and 

 finally, when he reached the half-mile post, laid himself alongside 

 him, nose by nose. Then the mass, which during the few seconds 

 of this special struggle had been breathless with hope and fear, 

 burst into a shout that rang for miles, and amid the din of 

 which might be heard here and there, " $100 even on Lecomte ! " 

 But his equality was only for a moment's term. Lexington 

 threw his eye jealously askant ; Gil. Patrick relaxed a little of 

 his rein, which up to this time he had held close in hand, and 

 without violence, or startling efl'ect, the racer of racers stole 

 ahead, gently, but steadily and sm-ely, as before, until he drew 



