eye meaningly, "I can put that right easy. You
win the race, Sir Hilton, and I'll make a pot of money by it. I know
the ropes."

"You do, Sam," said the baronet, laughing.

"And I'm glad of the charnsh to do a good turn to a couple o' noble
patrons who have put many a hundred into my pocket. Look here, Sir
Hilton, there's plenty of time yet. I am at your service. Just you
take me to the mare, and let me have a few minutes with her."

"The mare is not my property, Sam," said Sir Hilton, laughing.

"Of course not, Sir Hilton. I forgot. What do you say, my lady? That
there Jim Crow's a good horse, and La Sylphide hasn't the wind she had."

"Indeed!" said Lady Tilborough.

"It's a fact, my lady. What she wants is holding in and a waiting game,
_and_ just something as--you know, Sir Hilton--for the roosh at the
last, as'll take her in a couple o' lengths ahead."

"Yes, I understand," said Sir Hilton, drily.

"You hear, my lady? I want you to win."

"Thank you, Simpkins," said Lady Tilborough, gravely. "I am greatly
obliged."

"And I'm to just take the mare in hand for you," said the man, who, in
his excitement, could not restrain his eagerness.

"Well, no, thank you, Simpkins," said the lady, quietly. "You were
always a very good trainer, and I made a good deal of money in the past,
but I have a very trustworthy man now, and he might object to your
interference at the eleventh hour."

"Oh, I could soon make it right with him, my lady," said the trainer,
quickly.

"No doubt, Sam Simpkins," said the lady, meaningly, "but I should be
sorry to have my man's morals assailed."

"I don't understand you, my lady."

"Then I'll speak more plainly, Simpkins. I am not disposed to lay my
man open to temptation."

"What! Does your ladyship mean to insinuate that I'd do anything that
warn't quite square?"

"I insinuate nothing, Sam Simpkins. I only go so far as to say that you
are not my servant now, and that I would not trust you in the least."

"Hark at that now!" cried the trainer, turning up his eyes to the
sporting trophies on the walls, and unconsciously letting them rest on
the grinning mask of an old fox. Then "Ain't you got a word to say for
me, Sir Hilton? I has my faults, I know, but no man living would say I
couldn't be trusted. You allus found me right, Sir Hilton."

"Always, Sam, when it suited your book."

"Well, I am!" exclaimed the trainer.

"Yes, Sam, an awful old scamp," said