33 o The Leather Plater. 



changed his tactics, made all the running, and won very cleverly. 

 A good deal of the mess-room money came back to us in the second 

 match. 



We sent the horse into Tom's stables, who now generally rode 

 for us, and the next year Chance ran in eleven races and won nine. 



We ran him next summer down in Hampshire in a hurdle-race 

 two-mile heats. He won the first in a canter, and as we were walking 

 him up and down the course between the first and second heats, 

 we were all surprised by the approach of a most gorgeous flunkey, 

 who, politely touching his cockaded and silver-laced hat, addressed 

 me in the following extraordinary and mysterious speech : " Her 

 ladyship's compliments, and would feel much obliged by our bring- 

 ing Chance up to her carriage that she might pat him." I was 

 walking just then by the side of the horse (whom a lad was lead- 

 ing), in company with Tom, the jockey, and Bob M., the betting 

 man, the rudest and noisiest of his class. We were naturally 

 all very much surprised at such a strange request, and Bob blurted 

 out 



"What the devil does the fellow mean? Why, he must be 

 drunk." 



I shall never forget the air of offended dignity with which the 

 footman drew himself up as he answered Bob, " Excuse me, sir, 

 no more drunk than you are ;" and taking me a tittle aside, he ex- 

 plained the mystery by saying in an under-tone, "Lady , 



Miss Annie Radford as was, sir." 



Now, I had heard that Annie was either married to, or under the 

 protection of, some old nob or other, who was old enough to be 

 her father (of course the latter version of her history was accepted 

 as the truth by this charitable world), but I had not the least idea 

 that she was living close by the town where these races were held, 



and just as little did I imagine that the Lady , who headed the 



list of lady-patronesses for the race ball in the evening, was my old 

 acquaintance, "Annie Radford as was." I told the lad directly to 

 lead the horse over to the other side of the course, and followed 

 him with the servant, leaving Tom and the betting-man staring 



