"

Old Bill made no comment upon Mike's diplomatic misstatement anent the
badge, for he had observed the wink, and held true to the masonry which
exists between race-course regulars.

"Yes, please send him out then, Mr. Gaynor; it's important."

"I'm in a hurry meself," said Mike; "I just come out fer a minute; see
here," and he nodded his head sideways to Mortimer. The latter walked by
his side for a few steps.

"Who's that guy?" asked the Trainer.

"I don't know; he calls himself Old Bill."

"Well, ye best look out--he looks purty tough. What's he playin' ye
fer?"

"He advised me to bet money on Lauzanne."

"The divil he did! What th' yellow moon does he know about the Chestnut;
did ye back him?"

"Not yet."

"Are ye goin' to?"

"I don't know. Do you think Lauzanne might come in first?"

A slight smile relaxed the habitually drawn muscles of Mike's grim
visage; it was moons since he had heard anybody talk of a horse "coming
in first;" he was indeed a green bettor, this, young man of the counting
house. What was he doing there betting at all, Mike wondered. It must be
because of his interest in the girl, his reason answered.

"I tink he'll win if he does his best for her."

"Does his best for who?"

Mike got to cover; his ungoverned tongue was always playing him tricks.

"Miss Allis is managin' the horses," he explained, very deliberately,
"an' there's a new b'y up on Lauzanne's back, d'ye onderstand; an' if
the Chestnut doesn't sulk, does his best fer the young misthress that'll
be watchin' him here in the stand wit' tears in her eyes, he moight
win--d'ye onderstand?"

Yes, Mortimer understood; it seemed quite clear, for Mike had been to
some pains to cover up the slip he had made.

"Now I must go," he continued; "an' ye needn't come in the paddock--if
the b'y is there, I'll sind him out."

When Alan's seeker returned to Old Bill, he said, "Mr. Gaynor thinks
your choice might come in first."

"Why was Irish steerin' you clear of de paddock?" asked the other.

"I suppose it was to save me the expense of buying a ticket for it."

The other man said nothing further, but the remembrance of Mike's wink
convinced him that this was not the sole reason.

They waited for young Porter's appearance, but he did not come. "The
geezer yer waitin' fer is not in dere or he'd a-showed up," said Old
Bill; "an' if yer goin' to take de tip, we'd better skip to de ring an'
see what's doin'."

Mortimer had o