THE COP PITCHES THE TALE 



had scarcely noticed me ; in any case he didn't know 

 who I was. He spoke about Morny Cannon, Maher, 

 Martin and others and then Jim said : 



" Wliat about that chap Sloan ? Did you ever see 

 him ? " 



The man's face broadened into a smile : " Well I 

 should say so. Wasn't I at Ascot when he slung that 

 magnum at the waiter and split his skull. Hot stuff I 

 tell you, my lords — I mean Colonel " (he called them 

 all sorts of things that evening). Resuming he said : 

 " Well, Captain, it is very nice of you and their lord- 

 ships to ask me to have another drink ; I never take 

 more than one, but as I'm off duty I will have another 

 spot. Yes that there Sloan is mustard ; what he 

 don't know isn't worth picking up ; but he can ride — 

 I'll give him his due. But that Ascot affair — I was 

 on duty just by, and Sloan wasn't charged. I went 

 up to him and asked him for an explanation, but kept 

 my eye open to see if another bottle was coming at me. 

 I tell you, my lords and gentlemen, he's a fire eater 

 that there Sloan. He's a wonderful fellow with a 

 horse ; they say he talks to 'em but — wot oh ! mustard 

 and cress ! " 



He wasn't told that I was there ; he may have got 

 to know later on but I don't think so. I tell the story 

 because it is amusing, and also to make clearer the 

 fact that so many thousands pretended they were there, 

 whereas there were not more than seven in the vicinity 

 altogether. 



^73 



