Farrow to desert me by an offer of double wages
and a pension; and, failing that, only last week he offered my
jockey L10,000 cash on the nail to slip off over to France on the
night before Derby Day, and promised him a further five thousand
if Tarantula carried off the race."

"Oho!" said Cleek, in two different tones; and with a look of
supremest contempt. "So our Tinplate Knight is that sort of a
sportsman, is he, the cad? And having failed to get hold of the
_rider_----H'm! Yes. It is possible--perhaps. Chadwick's turning up
at such a time might be a mere coincidence--a mere tout's trick to
get inside information beforehand, or----Well, you never can tell.
Suppose, Major, you give me the facts from the beginning. When
was the animal's loss discovered--and how? Let me have the full
particulars, please."

The major sighed and dropped heavily into a chair.

"For an affair of such far-reaching consequences, Mr. Cleek," he said
gloomily, "it is singularly bald of what might be called details, I
am afraid; and beyond what I have already told you there is really
very little more to tell. When or how the deed was committed, it
is impossible to decide beyond the indefinite statement that it
happened the night before last, at some time after half-past nine
in the evening, when the stable-boy, Dewlish, before going home,
carried a pail of water at Farrow's request into the building where
Highland Lassie's stall is located, and five o'clock the next
morning when Captain MacTavish strolled into the stables and found
the mare missing."

"A moment, please. Who is Captain MacTavish? And why should the
gentleman be strolling about the Abbey stable-yard at five o'clock in
the morning?"

"Both questions can be answered in a few words. Captain MacTavish
is a friend who is stopping with us. He is a somewhat famous
naturalist. Writes articles and stories on bird and animal life
for the magazines. It is his habit to be up and out hunting for
'specimens' and things of that sort every morning just about dawn.
At five he always crosses the stable yard on his way to the dairy
where he goes for a glass of fresh milk before breakfast."

"I see. Captain a young man or an old one?"

"Oh, young, of course. About two or three and thirty, I should say.
Brother of a deceased army pal of mine. Been stopping with us for
the past two months. Very brilliant and very handsome chap--universal
favourite wherever he goes."

"Thanks. Now just one