102 A Short Head 



much could he ' pinch ' ? What prospect was there of 

 gettmg on anything for himself when he had such a sum 

 to put on for Weymouth ? 



A brilliant idea struck him. Do nothing for Weymouth 

 and keep the good thing entirely to himself! There was 

 an excuse — that such a commission could not possibly be 

 executed in the time. Harvey's visit was so flurried, in 

 consequence of his having gone to the wrong address 

 first and been delayed in finding out the right one. that 

 Clifton might well pretend he did not understand his 

 visitor's hasty remark that Weymouth was going out of 

 town with him, and would not be back till dinner time. 

 He could send a note round to Weymouth's house, 

 therefore, begging him not to run the horse when there 

 was no chance of backing him, explaining that it was 

 impossible to get anything like 5,000/. on, and this 

 letter Weymouth would not, he knew, receive till the 

 evening, though of course Clifton would affect a belief 

 that it would be received at once. Then he could quietly 

 back the horse for as much as he could get on and keep 

 the lot ; for of course it must be good, or Weymouth, 

 whose trainer was an extremely shrewd man, would not 

 have wanted to have his dash. 



Jubilant at the prospect before him, Clifton sat down 

 to write : 



' My deae Weymouth, 



* I send the line you ask for without delay, by 

 messenger, to say that it is absolutely impossible to get 

 on anything like 5,000/. under the circumstances. Why 

 run the horse in such a race ? Even if you could get 

 on, you would probably have to lay absurd odds, for 

 nothing else will be backed. I strongly advise you not 



