278 The American Thoroughbred 



the horses at times increasing and diminishing, 

 Lexington several times making a brush to take 

 the lead, but Lecompte increasing his speed to 

 prevent it. On entering the fourth mile, and 

 on the back-stretch of it, Lexington partially 

 closed the gap that Lecompte had opened on 

 him and attempted to outfoot him. The attempt 

 was immense and elicited the loudest encomiums 

 of Lexington's friends and backers, but it was 

 ineffectual. 



" The spur was freely used to induce him to do 

 what his friends claimed for him — that he was 

 the fastest horse in the world at a brush ; but 

 Lecompte baffled all his efforts, kept the lead, 

 and won the heat, amid deafening shouts, by 

 six lengths, in much the quickest time ever made 

 in the world — 7.26! 



" If the result of the heat induced great shouting, 

 the announcement of the time produced still more 

 clamorous exclamations of delight. All knew 

 that the heat was very fast, but each one of the 

 hundred persons could scarce believe their own 

 time until the judges announced it officially. 



" During the great excitement, which was con- 

 centrated on the two contesting horses, Reube 

 had almost been lost sight of; but he came 



