s. Glaucus was beaten, and I lost my three
hundred pounds--only fancy, dearest, three hundred pounds, with which
one could do so many things! I wanted it in fifty ways, and I never
contemplated leaving it with the legs at Newmarket."

"Not the legs, I assure you, my Lady--not the legs. I made your book
with Colonel Stamford and Gore Middleton--"

"As if I cared who won it!" said she, haughtily.

"I never knew that you tempted fortune in this fashion!" said Lady
Grace, languidly.

"I do so very rarely, my dear. I think Mining Shares are better, or
Guatemala State Bonds. I realised very handsomely indeed upon them two
years ago. To be sure it was Dunn that gave me the hint: he dined with
us at the Hotel de Windsor, and I asked him to pay a small sum for me
to Hore's people, and when I counted the money out to him, he said, 'Why
not buy in some of those Guanaxualo shares; they'll be up to--' I forget
what he said--'before a month. Let Storr wait, and you'll pay him in
full.' And he was quite right, aas I told you. I realised about eight
hundred pounds on my venture."

"If Glaucus had won, my Lady--"

"Don't tell me what I should have gained," broke she in. "It only
provokes one the more, and above all, Spicer, no more information, I
detest 'information.' And now, what was it I had to say to you; really
_your_ memory would seem to be failing you completely. What could it
be?"

"It couldn't be that roan filly----"

"Of course it couldn't. I really must endeavour to persuade you that
my thoughts occasionally stray beyond the stable. By the way, you sold
those grey carriage-horses for nothing. You always told me they were the
handsomest pair in London, and yet you say I'm exceedingly lucky to get
one hundred and eighty pounds for them."

"You forget, my Lady, that Bloomfield was a roarer----"

"Well, you really are in a tormenting mood this morning, Spicer. Just
bethink you, now, if there's anything more you have to say, disagreeable
and unpleasant, and say it at once; you have made lady Grace quite
ill----"

"No, only tired!" sighed her friend, with a melancholy smile.

"Now I remember," cried Lady Lackington, "it was about that house at
Florence. I don't think we shall pass any time there, but in case we
should, I should like that Zapponi palace, with the large terrace on the
Arno, and there must be no one on the ground-floor, mind that; and I'll
not give more than I gave formerly--perhaps not so much. But, ab