," Fielden admitted. "But I don't see what special favour
you have done me----"

"By getting rid of Raymond Copley," Phillips smiled. "I couldn't have
served you better. We shall have him out of the way anyhow. Later, when
you find yourself in a good position again, I will ask you to give me a
responsible post in your stables. Oh, it will all come right, sir. You
ought to win a big stake over the Derby, if you play your cards right,
and the Blenheim colt will be worth a small fortune."

"What have I to do with the horse?" Fielden asked.

"I know all about that, sir," Phillips said cheerfully. "Never mind
where I had my information. I am half a gipsy and my mother's tribe pick
up news from all sorts of unlikely quarters. A lad who used to be in
your stables told me the story. Nobody else would have believed him but
me. I can give you chapter and verse if you like, but that would only be
wasting time, and I can guess what Copley's game is, too. See if I don't
prove to be a true prophet. The Blenheim colt will be sure to show signs
of to-day's race; indeed, he is a marvel if he does any good during the
rest of his career as a three year-old. But, then, the horse is a
marvel. Still, very few of us know that, and we shall be able to back
him for the Derby at our own price within the next few days. I will
stick on the horse every farthing I can rake together. If I could only
get a couple of thousand pounds I could make a fortune. And you ought to
make a fortune, too. You told me that you could find that sum, if
necessary, and seeing that you have it in your power to prevent the
Blenheim colt from being scratched you will be flying in the face of
Providence if you turn your back on a chance like this."

Fielden looked at his companion in some perplexity. He was astonished to
find that Phillips knew so much. Whence did the man derive his
information? But there never was a gipsy yet who was not fond of a
horse. The various clans roam all over the country, and very little that
is going on escapes their sharp black eyes and there is, besides, a sort
of freemasonry amongst them. But it mattered little whence Phillips'
information came, for he had certainly got it. He was correct in every
detail, too, and for the first time Fielden began to see his way. He
could lay his hands upon a couple of thousand pounds, and before the
week was out he knew that the Blenheim colt would be at any price in the
market that a backer needed. Two t