104 RACECOUESE AND COVERT SIDE. 



see you," " I could not think where you had got 

 to," "Here you are at last ! " and other familiar 

 sentences, everybody who was anybody in that 

 division of the county thronged the rooms and 

 terraces and exchanged greetings. Cards had 

 been sent as a matter of course to the officers of 

 the regiment quartered at Coltsford, the 152nd 

 Lancers, and a couple of those who had accepted, 

 Crossley and Banks, were patrolling a side path, 

 away from the throng of guests, in earnest 

 conversation. 



" Are you sure it's all right ? " Crossley asks. 



" Perfectly. The Wessex Hunt Eace Meet- 

 ing will take place on the 28th of October, and 

 Sir Henry has undertaken to see that a cup is 

 offered for the regiment. Added to a sweep- 

 stakes of 50 sovs. each, eh ? That'll about suit? 

 Shall I propose that ? " Banks asks. 



" No. Fifty's too much. You'll spoil it all 

 if you are so keen about it," Crossley answers. 



" You're so indifferent to making money 

 yourself, aren't you? " Banks asks, with a sneer. 



" No, I'm not ; but I don't rush a good thing 

 and make a mess of it ; and it will be just as well 

 if we drop recrimination until the thing's safely 

 over. I suppose the horse is good enough ? " 



" You know what he did at Baldoyle, and you 

 heard what Sir Thomas said about it. Besides, 



