A Short Head i r 5 



number was hoisted, feeling certain from the evidence of 

 bis own eyes and the observations of all around him that 

 High Street had got up and won — a good neck, if not a 

 half-length, he thought. But he had not looked at an 

 evening paper. What if he and those who had stood 

 by him on the stand were all alike wrong ! He recalled 

 instances in which he had previously been altogether 

 deceived by the finish of races at the five- furlong post 

 viewed from the stand — could he be so now ? Where 

 was the paper '? The special ' Standard ' was on a table 

 by his side, and, hastily clutching it, he turned to the 

 fifth page and read the report : — 



3.45. Maiden Two-Year-Old Plate of 200 sovs. 5 furlongs. 



Sir H. Weymouth's b. c. Bowsprit, 9 st M. Ball 1, 



Lord George Greystock's ch. f. High Street, 8-ll..Netter 2. 

 Mr. York's br. c. Harvest, 9 st Wye 3. 



There it was — no possibility of doubt about it ! The 

 names of the other five runners followed, and then came 

 the description : — 



11 to 4 on Bowsprit, 4 to 1 against High Street, 100 to 11 May Day, 

 100 to 8 others. The favourite jumped off in front and made running 

 to the distance, when High Street, who had been disappointed in the 

 attempt to find an opening, got through and challenged vigorously, but 

 Bowsprit, just holding his own to the end in a desperate finish, won by 

 a short head ; a bad third. 



Clifton sank into a chair and gazed at the paper as 

 if hoping that the words might form new meanings ; but 

 there the truth was, and now he began to understand 

 the remarks Weymouth had made — remarks that had 

 seemed so strange at the time. Fool that he had been ! 

 It was that brilliant idea, as he had regarded it, of 

 substituting the fresh letter for that which he had 

 written in the morning that had ruined him. How could 

 he have been idiot enough to leave the course without a 



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