110 STAELE SECRETS. 



paralysed in a moment, and jerking it from the ground, lie stood 

 in trembling anguish, " nobbled " for the Cambridgeshire. 



The work accomplished, Job Sweety hurried from the spot, 

 carefully closing and locking Sunshine's stable door. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Sunshine's career on the turf was closed. The last triumph 

 had been recorded. " The best of his year " was doomed never 

 to run again. 



Useless would it be to dwell, however briefly, upon the 

 disappointment and chagrin bitterly expressed by the multitude 

 who had supported, the pretensions of the " top weight " in the 

 Cambridgeshire to add another green leaf to his laurels. He 

 had been " made safe," and the absorbing question for a limited 

 space in the history of man's misdoings was, " Who had ren- 

 dered him so 1 " Criminations and recriminations were made and 

 exchanged with the utmost freedom of speech. " The stable " 

 was s uspected. By turns the owner, trainer, head lad, and 

 boys employed in and about the stable, individually and collec- 

 tively, were suspected. No one having access, either direct or 

 indirect, to the stable, but what came in for a full and liberal 

 share of being suspected. Protests were made in vain. Con- 

 clusive proofs were offered that "the stable," having backed 

 the "top weight" for a great stake, ought not to be suspected. 

 The public had been robbed, and the public resolved that " some 

 one" should be held responsible, if, individually, "no one" 

 could be selected in particular. The " official report " came 

 out upon the occasion, in language not only strong and 

 vigorous, but violent. " A bare-faced, impudent, and cruel 

 robbery had been effected," so said the official report, " and the 

 matter should be sifted to the bottom." 



It would appear, however, that the sifting to the bottom 



