88 RACECOUESE AND COVERT SIDE. 



time that lie and his friends were a good mile 

 ahead. 



There is always a calm joy in knowing that 

 Fearstone has over-reached himself. By degrees, 

 of course, the story leaked out. I casually 

 explained to one or two friends what a sad dis- 

 appointment it must have been for his lordship 

 if he had indeed calculated on those uncompro- 

 mising portals being closed against us, and how 

 easy it was to ride through an open gate. Eather 

 less than no sympathy was expressed for him ; 

 indeed, how Fearstone was " had " was fashioned 

 into an effective anecdote, the embellishments of 

 which told little in favour of the trickster's acute- 

 ness. He hates " parting," and paid up with 

 anything but good grace. 



Such anecdotes are extremely popular, not 

 only in Fearstone's native county but in his 

 clubs. One of the most amusing evenings we 

 ever had at the Mutton Chops was when Fear- 

 stone made a set at Wynnerly, who had just 

 been elected, and with whom Fearstone was not 

 previously acquainted. Wynnerly knows rather 

 more about racing than the average professional 

 follower of the sport, and Fearstone, hearing the 

 little man say that he was going to Sandown 

 next day, persuaded Wynnerly to lay him two 

 points over the odds against the Mermaid, a 



