224 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



little absent-minded I directed the cabby to take 

 me to Bishopsgate's old station, because I used to 

 go thence to Doncaster. There was no joint 

 running between the Eastern and the Great 

 Northern Railways then, which was a pity, for 

 the new is a pleasant road, making far more 

 comfortable travelling than I can recollect on my 

 first journey to the South Yorkshire town. Five 

 shillings return I paid, I believe, and was on the 

 road from 5 a.m. till 3 a.m. next day, or some- 

 thing like that. In the interval I assisted at 

 Lord Lyon's victory over Savernake. How one 

 can recollect far-away occurrences ! Plain as the 

 house was before me as I passed it a dozen times 

 this last week I can see the little Marquis of 

 Hastings in the Salutation Inn yard where the 

 Danebury horses stood, I believe. Anyway, 

 there was the Marquis, also the Duke of 

 Beaufort — what a splendid swell this John of 

 Gaunt was, a marvel of make, shape, power, 

 politeness, and the grand air always ! — and from 

 the former I heard that Rustic was scratched, 

 which was good news — at least, to me, for at 

 that early stage of business life I was a dabbler 

 in wagering, and Rustic's removal suited my 

 book. 



No one but a madman could have dreamed of 

 making such a book as I put together, going as 

 solidly as might be to get myself broke in "one 

 pop," as the word goes. The road to wealth 

 seemed open to me then. So it was, if I could 

 command such results as came my way while I 

 was resolutely plunging down the road to ruin. 

 Talk about playing the high game, to do which 

 properly you lay against one horse and put the 

 money you are going, with luck, to win on 



