DRIVE A NAIL WHERE IT WILL GO. 57 



" I want to be married in the spring," lie added, with some 

 awkwardness. 



" What ! Going to be married, Will ? Who is the lucky 

 lady ? " ejaculated Talbot. 



•' Miss Grantham, the trainer's daughter, sir. I hope to 

 introduce her to you some day. And now I must be off, as 

 I have two trials and a gallop to ride before breakfast to- 

 morrow morning."' 



" I'll walk as far as the end of the lane with you, Will ; 

 it's such a lovely moonlight night," said Talbot. " Are you 

 game for a more circuitous route, just to make a half-hour's 

 stroll for me ? " 



"Certainly, sir. We can cross the meadows by Mr. 

 Grantham's house." 



When close to Oak Lodge, the name by which Mr. 

 Grantham's place was known, Morgan suddenly gave the 

 clergyman's sleeve a twitch and gently pulled him into the 

 shadow caused by a high hedge. 



" Look, sir," he whispered, " look at those two men there. 

 What can they be after at this time of night ? " 



Talbot looked in the direction in which he was pointing 

 and saw the figures of two men creeping round the corner of 

 the buildings. 



" They are going to Toreador's box," whispered his com- 

 panion. " They are going to get at the favourite. Come on, 

 sir, we must stop them." 



Talbot seized the lad's arm just as he was about to rush 

 out. " Wait," he said, " we must make sure first." 



Slowly they followed the two shadows in front till they, 

 pulled up at the corner of the row of boxes round which the 

 men had disappeared, and then they listened. 



" That's his box," whispered one of the men, " the third, 

 and here's the key I got copied. Is Bill up at the house ? " 



" Yes," replied the other ; " he's gone to supper with 



