130 THE DEAD HEAT 



he's kilt entirely ! " bawled out a countryman ; " poor 

 young fellow ! " 



" Miss Gwynne's fainted," said a young sub, run- 

 nincf into the tent for water. 



o 



" By G — d ! he's up and at it again," screamed 

 out the sly little man : " the mare's baked too ; 

 look at her tail." 



All faces were flushed and eager. The horse was 

 coming along at a tremendous pace. The captain 

 was at work : his legs could be seen sending the 

 spurs deeply into her ; and he took an anxious look 

 over his shoulder every now and then. 



" The mare's beaten ! " resounded on all sides, as 

 she was seen to swerve in her stride. 



" Oh that the finish were only a hundred yards 

 farther ! " said Lord Plunger. 



The winning-post is approached. The old horse 

 has not been touched by Fortescue, whose face is 

 seen, even at that distance, to be deluged with blood. 

 He holds Screwdriver well in hand ; he sees the 

 mare is flagging. 



" Green wins ! " " Eed wins ! " shouts the crowed. 



It is an anxious moment. Both horses are seen 

 locked closely together. But the strain on Screw- 

 driver's jaw is relaxed, and Fortescue is seen to 

 shake him up ; the whip hand is at work, and they 

 pass the post abreast. The Colonel dashes 



