120 BACECOUKSE AND COVEET SIDE. 



The recital was the more agi-eeable to hearers 

 and to speaker by reason of another trial that 

 had taken place near to Coltsford a couple of 

 days before. Eed Eover, the animal which, to 

 all outward appearance, and, as the regiment 

 perfectly believed, Banks had offered to lend 

 Crossley in a moment of casual amiability, had 

 run three miles across country against Mainstay, 

 and had confirmed the good opinion of friends, 

 and the public reputation of the Daphne colt 

 (for as such Red Eover had done good service 

 on the flat) by gaining a clever victory over that 

 sterling horse. That Mainstay was at her best 

 had been since amply demonstrated by a credit- 

 able success at Warwick. In fact, the horse 

 belonged to Sir Thomas, who had given his 

 natural love of roguery full swing when Crossley, 

 with much delicacy, sounded him as to the 

 feasibility of arranging for a Eegimental Cup, 

 to be given at the much-talked-of Wessex Hunt 

 Steeplechase, and, furthermore, as to the desir- 

 ability of getting something in the stable ready 

 to make it sure that the prize should fall into 

 (what Crossley regarded as) the right hands. 



The train had been cunningly laid, the little 

 swindle arranged with much foresight and judg- 

 ment ; Sir Thomas's long experience, natural 

 aptitude, and hearty appreciation of such a 



