A Lucky Mistake 227 



Cranleigh ; the third beaten six lengths, old Hermitage, 

 who plodded on and accounted for the favourite. 



' Cruel luck ! ' Ashdown muttered, half to himself 

 and half to his friend. ' What a difference it would 

 have made to me if the head had been the other way ! ' 



* I am more sorry for you than for myself,' Cranleigh 

 answered. ' And he had won, too, everywhere but on 

 the post. I could not make out why Leighton sat down to 

 ride — I thought he had got them all settled. Projectiles ! 

 I remember her being talked about as a two-year-old, 

 but she's never won a race, and I don't believe the boy 

 who rode ever had either. Shall we go and see what 

 Leighton says ? ' 



' No, my dear fellow, thanks. I'll go home, if you 

 don't mind ' — the word ' home ' had a bitter sound, for 

 the Towers was soon to be home no longer. I've got a 

 lot of things to see about.' 



' Just as you like. I wish I could go with you, but 

 I must be in town to-night, and I dare say you'd sooner 

 be alone. I'll send a cheque for the 300?., and mind, if 

 a couple of thousand is the least use to you, I can let 

 you have it without any sort of inconvenience.' 



' Thanks, old boy, you're more than good, and you 

 know how I feel your kindness ; but it would be no use, 

 I'm afraid. When shall I see you ? Come and lunch 

 at the club on Monday. I have to go and see Ethel in 

 the afternoon. I told her I would, and she understood 

 that what I had to say depended on to-day. A short 

 head ! Good-bye, dear old boy ! ' 



Ashdown grasped his friend's hand and left the 

 course, while Cranleigh went to see his trainer and 

 jockey, to learn that Projectiles was much fancied, and 

 had been well backed — there had been a lot of money for 



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