the salver for Sir Hilton's empty glass.

"Bah! Too dry," said Sir Hilton, with a slight grimace. "How long have
you had that wine?"

"'Bout seven year, Sir Hilton," replied the man, setting down the waiter
and replacing the bottle by the glasses, but so clumsily that he knocked
over his guest's glass, which was shivered to atoms on the floor.

"Oh, I beg pardon, Sir Hilton! I'm so excited with the race that my
head's all of a shake. Hi, somebody, a clean glass!"

The barmaid ran out with the fresh glass, and she was followed by one of
the other maids with a dustpan and brush.

"That's right, my lass; be careful; don't leave any bits."

As he spoke he lifted the little marble table out of the maid's way and
filled the glasses again, before raising the waiter to hand it for the
second time to his guest.

"No, no, Sam; one's enough."

"What, Sir Hilton! You won't wet the other eye?"

"No, not even if I were not going to ride. That wine's bad."

"Bad, Sir Hilton?" cried the trainer, raising his own glass to the
light, sniffing at it, tasting it cautiously, and then looking again at
his visitor. "Mouth must be a bit out o' taste with the excitement.
Seems to me--" He raised his glass to his lips again, took a good pull,
and then drained and set it down. "Beg your pardon, Sir Hilton," he
said; "I don't set up for a judge, but I wouldn't wish to taste a better
drop o' cham than that."

"Glad you like it," said Sir Hilton, tetchily.

"Try it again, sir. Give your mouth a rinse out with it, and then
finish the glass."

"No, thanks; that will do. Bah! I can taste it now," said Sir Hilton,
snappishly, and he smacked his lips, and then passed his tongue over
them two or three times as he walked hastily up and down, tapping his
boot with the gold-mounted whip he held.

Simpkins watched him furtively and moved towards the bar, but turned,
and seemed to force himself to his guest's side. "Oh, yes, Sir Hilton,"
he said, "you'll win; and it'll be, as I said afore, two 'underd in my
pocket, while, if you lose, which you won't, it'll bring me within a
fiver or so of home."

"Get away! Don't bother," said his victim, sharply.

"Right, Sir Hilton. Course you've a deal on your head now, but, if you
wouldn't mind, I think I'll have half a glass more of that wine before
it gets flat."

"Bah!" ejaculated the baronet. "Thank ye, Sir Hilton," said the man,
refilling his glass, to stand watching his visitor whi