UPSET. 129 



In the dressing-room he found Heath and 

 Crossley, comporting themselves with the qniet 

 air of accustomed hands, and little Purleigh full 

 of chaff and jocularity, just a trifle forced, 

 perhaps. Purleigh had begun by going into 

 training in quite professional style, and indulging 

 himself about twice a week to an extent that 

 more than undid the benefit derived from a 

 couple of days of the strictest care. On reaching 

 the course Purleigh had stopped at Sir Henry's 

 drag and had just one glass of champagne, and 

 just half a glass more. This suited him so well 

 that he had gone on to the regimental drag, and, 

 in spite of protest, had a couple of glasses there ; 

 and fellows chaffed in such an absurd way about 

 it that he had left the place . 



Passing by Sir Henry's coach again he 

 stopped to speak to some men, and a servant, 

 who had just opened a fresh bottle, handed him 

 a glass of it. This he took quite casually and 

 half emptied in a thoughtless manner, when, 

 before he knew what was being done, his glass 

 was replenished. This was very annoying, and 

 in the first flush of irritation he emptied the 

 glass, refused more with much decision ; where- 

 upon, feeling that this was not the proper kind 

 of preparation for a steeplechase — on a brute of 

 a horse like Playfellow, too — concluded that a 



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