RACING ADVENTURERS. 259 



on his own account and for the benefit of a band 

 of followers who " stood in " with him ; but as on 

 the previous night the mighty gambler was seized 

 with an attack of paralysis which resulted in his 

 sudden demise, there was consternation among 

 the clique. It being an understood law of the 

 turf that death cancels all bets, those interested 

 in the victory of Princess (should the filly win) 

 saw at once they would lose their money, unless 

 by the adoption of a stratagem of some kind they 

 could avert that misfortune ; the cry among them, 

 therefore, was, "What can we do to get our 

 money ? " As the sum at issue was rather a large 

 one, it was resolved that an effort should be made 

 to obtain it, and the gruesome plan was hit upon 

 of exhibiting the dead man in his habit as he 

 lived at one of the windows of his club. Only 

 two or three persons knew of Crockford's death, 

 and as they were interested in the Princess affair, 

 they might be depended on to hold their tongues. 

 It was therefore arranged that the sportsmen, 

 as they returned from Epsom, should be shown 

 the corpse ; and, by various little stratagems, be 

 made to believe the man was alive. 



The matter was managed in the following 

 way : persons were sent to Epsom to see the 

 race, and note the result ; the moment the winning- 

 post was reached by the winner, they were told at 

 once to despatch pigeons with the fateful news ; 

 the confederates were also instructed to say, to all 

 whom they spoke to, that Mr. Crockford was 

 waiting anxiously at the club, in the hope of 

 hearing that Princess had proved victorious. In 

 due time the anxiously expected bird arrived at 

 Its loft, the despatch it carried bore only the brief 



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