alified praise.

"Too long in the leg," murmured a man whom Jasper had previously
introduced as a sporting friend of his.

Adrien turned round and surveyed the speaker calmly for a moment.

"Too leggy, you think, do you? I'll lay two to one upon them."

"Done," said the man sharply. "Hundreds or thousands?"

"Thousands," said Adrien quietly.

Jasper touched him on the arm and whispered, in gentle remonstrance:

"Steady, old chap, there's pots of money on him as it is. Don't you
think it would be as well--"

"Make it thousands," interrupted Adrien, almost haughtily, as he turned
on his heel.

The man booked the bet, bowed to Vermont, as to an utter stranger, and
the two gentlemen passed to the weighing-seat. Peacock had already gone
to don his riding-clothes, and without waiting to see him again, Adrien
and his companion returned to the grand stand. Here Leroy stopped to
speak to Lady Merivale, who, with her sister, the Marchioness of Caine,
had motored down from London to witness the race.

The marchioness was a lady with a passion for bridge, and an intense
admiration for Adrien Leroy.

"You are quite sure your horse, that pretty creature with the long neck,
is going to win?" she inquired, as he stood by her chair.

Her sister, Lady Merivale, looked up mockingly.

"Of course he's going to win, Alicia. Did not Lady Constance Tremaine
say so? Surely _she_ ought to know!"

Leroy did not appear to notice the jealous sarcasm of this speech.

"I hope he will win," he said gravely. "Nothing is certain in this
world, and race-horses are said to be as fickle as your sex, dear lady."
This was a mild thrust at Lady Merivale; but she only smiled sweetly in
response. "Still, I think you may safely bet on the 'King'; he's in fine
form." Then he turned to his cousin. "Here is your beau cavalier,
Constance," he said, almost jealously, as Jasper Vermont came leisurely
up the steps of the grand stand; then, with a swift glance at the girl
which was not lost upon Lady Merivale, he went down once more to his
father.

"The bell is about to ring now," he said. "Are you sure you can see?"

"Quite sure," replied Lord Barminster curtly. "How is the horse?"

"In splendid form, sir," Adrien answered cheerfully. "I should think it
is a safe thing. If you are quite all right, I'll get back to the others
now, before the crush begins."

His father nodded, and the young man made his way back to the stand.
Here he found the Cast