64 TALES OF PIKK AND SILK. 



" Then, of course, I had to endure the nasty chaff of any 

 of my acquaintances who thought they had a turn for wit. 



" ' What on earth has Jameson got there ? ' asks one. 

 ' Where did you pick up that camel ? ' inquires another. 

 'Why, don't you know,' says a third, 'that Jameson has been 

 scouring England for something to win the Cup with, and 

 this is the result of his labours ? ' 



"I put up with it for a while and then got mad, and 

 offered to bet each and all of them a level tenner that I 

 finished in front of them in the race for the Manby Cup, 

 which was promptly taken by four of them. 



" Then I caught sight of Mabel Manby, who had been 

 captured by my hete noir, young Burton, while I had been 

 obliged to keep dodging about for fear of breaking someone's 

 leg, and yet I dare not go near her. At length hounds 

 moved off to the covert to draw, and I sneaked away down a 

 narrow boggy ride, from which I thought I could get well 

 away when hounds found, and so avoid a crush at the gate, 

 when someone was sure to be kicked. I managed to ensconce 

 myself in a quiet corner, when the Master cantered by with a 

 cheery greeting and a pleasant smile ; but his genial face 

 clouded as a yelp caused him to look round in time to see 

 Harlequin limp away from Lucy Glitters' hind leg. 



" 'My dear boy, you really should not bring a kicking 

 horse among my hounds. Take her outside the covert.' 



" What was the use ? I should only kick a man or a 

 horse instead. However, I moved away to the edge of 

 the covert again and lit a cigarette. Then a sweet voice 

 sounded in my ear that made my heart go pit-a-pat, and 

 my face to blush like a girl's. 'Twas Mabel Manby, and 

 she had that beast Burton Avith her. ' Why, Mr. Jameson,' 

 she said, * you've never been near me to say " how d'y do " 

 this morning, or to inquire after The Geisha.' 



" I managed to stammer out some sort of a reply about 



