Making the Running 265 



Carnation, Mr. Western, who had opened as good a 

 favourite as the other, ^Yas being backed feebly at 5 to 

 2 ; Eed Deer, no one seemed quite to know why, found 

 friends at 7 to 1 ; and ].00 to 8 bar three was freely 

 offered. The big chesnut. Port Admiral, had a very 

 taking appearance ; but there was a business-like look 

 about the little bay mare Carnation that could not escape 

 the critics ; Eed Deer was a flashy, long-legged beast of 

 the flatcatching type ; Chimney Corner a well-shaped 

 but small brown mare ; Vintager a fox- catching hunter, 

 evidently outclassed. 



Just as Stebbing and Cecil reached the entrance to 

 the reserved lawn, a tall, hatchet-faced man beckoned the 

 former aside. 



' This is good for the Admiral, isn't it ? ' he asked. 



* Yes, they've settled it. Carnation won't win. It's 

 all right,' Stebbing rephed. 



' Good to lay the odds ? No mistake ? Quite sure ? ' 

 the other persisted. 



Stebbing only answered with an inclination of the 

 head, full of significance, and passed on to join Cecil 

 who was waiting for him. 



Stebbing did, in fact, on this occasion 'know some- 

 thing.' There had been a short but important conversa- 

 tion earlier in the afternoon between Bedford and 

 Western. 



Strolling together, as if by chance, from the door of 

 the weighing-room, where they had been to see that their 

 bags had arrived, Bedford had presently remarked, ' I 

 suppose one of us will win ? ' 



' Looks like it,' the other answered, and then there 

 was a pause. 



They strolled on. 



