174 A MIRROR OF THE TURK 



and being fond of betting, although the sums 

 risked seldom exceeded half-a-crown, or at most 

 double that amount. 



One evil day a constant frequenter of the 

 house introduced a friend of his, who was 

 anxious to start a betting list, and as Wingrave, 

 the landlord, thought a list in the house would 

 improve his business, he gave consent, and Bill 

 Holmes commenced business at the " Caxton 

 Arms." For a jDeriod of a little over twelve 

 months all went well, customers increased, money 

 was made, and claims punctually met. 



At length there came a frowning of Fortune. 

 The list-keeper was himself a keen bettor, and more 

 than once " perilled his purse " by having all his 

 money on an animal he thought " sure to win." 

 Having: backed a horse on his own account to 

 win a particular Chester Cup — in those days the 

 "Tradesmen's Plate" was a most pronounced 

 betting race — and the animal having failed to do 

 what was expected. Holmes was unfortunately 

 unable to come to " the scratch " over the animal 

 which did win, and knowing he could not meet 

 the claims which would be made against him on 

 behalf of the winner, which had been heavily 

 backed at his list, he at once left London, to the 

 great consternation of Wingrave, who dreaded he 

 would in some way be held responsible for the mis- 

 deeds of the runaway list-keeper. His foreboding 

 was more than realised ; an incensed mob of the 

 creditors of Holmes, taking the law into their 

 own hands, all but wrecked the house. It was in 

 vain the landlord told the crowd he had no 

 concern with the defalcations of the list-keeper ; 

 the people would not be pacified. Out of the 



