116 EACE COURSE AND COVERT SIDE, 



too, jumps in and out of the lane with what at 

 a distance of nearly half a mile looks ridiculous 

 ease ; but the brown is on her track. Into the 

 park, across the corner, and so down the hill 

 towards the gate where she is standing, the two 

 come thundering, and as they approach, Mabel 

 puts aside her glasses and trusts to her eyes alone. 

 Here they come, Clive with his teeth set and 

 a look of stern determination on his face as they 

 near the strongly made-up fence close to her, 

 and half through, half over, this they swish still 

 side by side, though the brown is certainly the 

 quicker away. Now they are receding, and the 

 glass is brought into use again. They have 

 rounded the furthest point, and still side by side, 

 though at increasing speed, they gallop out of 

 sight, a rise in the ground hiding them from 

 view ; but when they reaj^pear Clive is a good 

 length in front, and the mare seems to be going 

 well within herself. She is first at the post and 

 rails into the winning-field, and on she comes at 

 terrific speed ; but as she lands the brown lands 

 too, and the winning-post is only some two 

 hundred yards in front. Clive sits down and 

 presently lifts his whip ; the rider of the brown 

 likewise gives his horse one stroke, when it 

 shoots forward to Clive's side, passes him, and 

 is a good length in advance of the gallant bay as 

 the ash-tree is reached. 



