A Short Head 103. 



to run — what's the good ? Bowsprit, from what you 

 told me, is quite good enough to win a race in good 

 company, when you could get a reasonable price. I have 

 therefore done nothivg, as what I could do w^ould not be 

 satisfactory to either of us, and I lose no time in letting 

 you know. I hope you agree with me that this is best. 



' Yours always, 



' F. Clifton.' 



' There ! ' he muttered to himself, as he blotted the 

 last sheet, ' I have begun with " I send the ' line ' " 

 because the word he wrote may be meant for '' wire " 

 and he may very likely have told his man to re-telegraph 

 it on somewhere. He'll see that I read it "line," and 

 it's as like one as the other. Let's look ! ' He studied a 

 railway guide for a moment, and added, ' Yes ! that's an 

 idea ; I can get back by the 4.30, and be in time for 

 Isaacson, for that's too important to be neglected.' 

 Taking up the pen he again wrote — 



' P.S. I did not intend to go to Sandown, as I have 

 pressing business in town, but in case I can be of any 

 use to you, I'll manage to get down that we may talk it 

 over. There's a train back at 4.30 that will just do 

 me,' 



He chuckled to himself as he put this into an envelope. 

 ' That's good ! ' he said ; ' of course he will believe that 

 I expect to see him on the course, and that I didn't 

 understand Harvey. He rang the bell, and gave the 

 servant instructions that the letter was to be delivered 

 with the greatest possible haste ; and then, taking his 

 race glasses, put on his hat and strolled off to look in at 

 one of his clubs on the way to Waterloo. 



