m.

Hilary moved back a pace. "We can see better here," he said, trying to
draw Allys along with him. She shook her head obstinately, but said
nothing; in her heart she was resolved that Billy should have the
comfort of her presence in his hour of defeat.

Since she was very far from being a model young person, Hilary's
manifest anger was not displeasing. She was going to marry him--but
only at her own time, and upon her own conditions. So far, there was
no engagement--she had fenced and played with him beautifully all
through the last three months. He had no right whatever to be nasty
about Billy; of course, if it were some grown-up body, Adair for
example, there might be a color of reason for his wrath. He ought to
understand that Billy was, in a way, her guest--also a person to whom
she owed something in the way of hospitality. What provoked her most
was knowing that Hilary was less jealous than ashamed--ashamed to have
her thus openly countenance anybody who wore Billy's clothes. She was
all the angrier for her own moment of snobbishness--men ought to be
above such paltry things, she reasoned; anyway, she was bound to stand
by Billy to the inevitably bitter end.

The start was tedious. Again and again the line of rainbow jackets
drew taut across the course, only to break and tangle, and at last
dissolve into its original gaudy units. Billy sighed as he watched it,
then smiled shyly, and drew a long breath, saying in Allys' ear: "I
hate to win except right square out."

"I don't understand," Allys returned.

Billy looked at her in surprise.

"Don't you see--the favorites have got so much on their backs, the
longer they wheel and turn, the more they take out of themselves?" he
asked. "I'll bet they are frettin' like everything, too. See there!
One of them chestnut-sorrels--can't tell whether it's Aramis or
Aldegonde--is cuttin' up high didoes. And the Heathflower thing
standin' like a little lamb----"

"She may be standing there when the race is over," Hilary interrupted.

Billy did not put down his glass, but said over his shoulder: "Oh, I
reckon Tim can stop her before she gets that far around. Don't know,
though--if she feels like runnin' she's a handful. And this is one of
the days--I know, because she looks as though she couldn't beat a
funeral."

Allys pressed Billy's arm--it was all she could do to show her
enjoyment of the way he had turned things. Hilary bent toward her,
saying, with a hard smile: