102 THE DEAD HEAT 



by him at the supper- table, " to have hounded the 

 lad into it. O'Eooney is a noted steeplechase rider, 

 and my boy" (he always called the youngsters of 

 his regiment his boys), " though a workman across 

 country, never rode a race in his life ; but I hear 

 that Captain O'Eooney has the character of looking 

 up the Griffs." 



" Faith, Colonel, ye are about right there," said a 

 jolly-looking young Irishman ; " he is just the boy 

 that can do that same ; he is mad now because 

 Fortescue's English horse cut him down to-day, and 

 pounded him — a thing that has never been done 

 before." 



" Bedad, you're out there, Mat," put in another ; 

 " I'd be after thinking it is because the Leaftenent 

 has been making mighty strong running entirely 

 with Alice Gwynne all this blessed night. O'Eooney, 

 by my faith, does not like that, devil a hap'orth ; 

 he considers himself the favoured one — the consated 

 spalpeen." 



" He tlie favoured one ! " remarked big H , 



of Fortescue's regiment ; " why, he cannot suppose 

 he would have a ghost of a chance with that pug nose 

 and whisky-toddy countenance of his against For- 

 tescue of ours. Why, Old Nick himself could not 

 boast of an uglier face than Pat Eooney. Fortescue 

 is about the handsomest and nicest fellow in the 



