Revolver. No, haven't got one--a razor."

"Tchah!"

"While you, Hetty--"

"Not such a fool," cried the lady. "Life's worth more than four million
millions, squared and cubed. Pull yourself together, you dear old
gander."

"Pull myself together!" groaned Sir Hilton. "Oh, why did you come with
this horrible news?"

"Because I knew you could help me, stupid!"

"I--I--help you?"

"Hold up, Hilt, or you'll break your knees. It's an emergency--no time
to lose. La Sylphide must come up to the scratch."

"Oh!" groaned Sir Hilton. "Impossible. Try to put another jock on her,
and she'll murder him. You know what she is. There, pray leave me. I
must do a bit of writing before I go."

"Hilt!" cried Lady Tilborough, flushing with energy, as she sprang up
and snatched her whip from the table, to swish it about and make it
whistle through the air. "You make me feel as if I could lash you till
you howled. Be a man. Suicide! Bah! You'll have to die quite soon
enough. Now then, listen. This is the only chance. In the terrible
emergency I've come to you. Now, quick, there isn't a minute to spare.
You must help me."

"I? How?"

"Can't you see?"

"I'm stunned."

"Oh, what a man! You must ride the mare yourself."

"And win."

"Impossible!"

"Nonsense. She will be like a lamb with you."

"But my wife; she wouldn't--"

"Oh!" cried Lady Tilborough, stamping, and lashing the air with her
whip. "Divorce your wife."

"She'd divorce me."

"And a good job too! You must come and ride the mare."

"I can't--I can't."

"You must, Hilt."

"Out of training. Too heavy."

"Not a bit of it. You're as fine as can be, and will want weight. You
look as thin as if you'd been fretting."

"I have been, woman; I have."

"All the better. Come on at once."

"I tell you I daren't. I can't, Hetty. It is madness."

"Yes, to refuse. Do you hear? It is to save your four thousand
pounds."

"Oh!" groaned Sir Hilton.

"Your wife's money."

"With which she has trusted me for Parliamentary expenses."

"Ha! Then you must ride and save it."

"No, no, no! My spirit's broken. I should funk everything."

"Nonsense! Come, you will ride?"

"No, no, not even for that money, and to save the shame. I can't--I
can't, Hetty."

"Then for your old, old friend. Hilt, dear boy, we were nearly making a
match of it once, only you were a fool. I'd have had you."

"Would you?"

"Yes, if you hadn't been