114 A Short Head 



' No. I saw it from the stand,' Clifton said. 



' And which did you think had won ? I'm told some- 

 one in the ring laid 10 to 1 on High Street after they'd 

 passed the post ? ' Weymouth added. 



' Yes, I heard it. If High Street could have got 

 through, she'd have won easily, I have no doubt,' Clifton 

 answered. 



' Ah, well ! I suppose my horse isn't quite as good 

 as we thought, that's all ! ' Weymouth observed, turning 

 towards Harvey, who at that moment joined them, 

 special ' Standard ' in hand. 



'Yours started at 11 to 4 on, I see — a short head,' 

 he said. 



' Yes, and Clifton got me a wonderful price. The 

 only thing I'm afraid of,' he added, speaking to his 

 friendly commissioner, ' is that you didn't really win 

 anything yourself. It was rather a silly business. I 

 ought to have given you a lot more time to arrange it, I 

 know. However, it's come off all right, that's the great 

 thing, and I hope you won a bit, at any rate ! ' 



Clifton was bewildered. * Come off all right,' ' Didn't 

 win anything yourself * — what could these phrases mean 

 from the lips of a man who had lost 5,000/. that after- 

 noon ? That Weymouth would not be downcast Clifton 

 had supposed, but he was apparently elated, and some- 

 one who had just entered the room slapped the owner 

 of Bowsprit on the back heartily, and, as they strolled 

 to the table together, said something about ' congratula- 

 tions,' ' thought the other had got up on the post,' ' most 

 deceptive course in England,' ' no one could possibly say 

 which had won from the stand.' 



A horrible suspicion suddenly overcame Clifton. He 

 had rushed awav in hot haste before the winner's 



