k
and see Sir George at once."

Sir George was in his library. He had given instructions to the butler
to deny him to every one. In fact, he was seated by the library fire
reading a letter which May had left for him. She had not minced matters.
She had gone away for reasons well known to him, she said, and her
address mattered nothing to anybody. Sir George was looking particularly
old and grey and troubled as Fielden thrust his way past the butler and
entered the library. Sir George's manner was not encouraging, and he
curtly demanded to know the meaning of this intrusion.

"I am sorry," Fielden said, "but my business would not wait. Am I to
understand that you have struck the Blenheim colt out of the Derby? Is
it done?"

"It's not done yet," Sir George said indignantly, "but it will be done
this afternoon. Perhaps you have some objection to make. Perhaps you
would like to forbid it?"

"I do and must," Fielden said quietly. "The horse does not belong to you
at all. He happens to be mine."

CHAPTER XXXVII

BETWEEN TWO FIRES

Sir George Haredale pulled himself together.

"You will excuse me," he said, "but I don't follow you. I have had much
trouble and worry lately and I am not myself this morning. Did you say
that the Blenheim colt belonged to you? If this is a joke I cannot say I
admire it."

"I assure you I was never more serious in my life, Sir George," Fielden
protested. "I know what I say sounds extraordinary. The Blenheim colt
belongs to me; it was never yours at all; in fact, it is not even
entered in this year's Derby in your name. I have been making inquiries,
and this is a literal fact. I have derived my information from
headquarters. The conditions, monetary and otherwise, have been complied
with----"

"I don't doubt it for a moment," Sir George exclaimed. "But what has all
this to do with me? When you went abroad I bought every animal you
possessed."

"I don't think so, Sir George. One or two were kept back; Raffle did so
on his own responsibility. My solicitors have the papers and receipts,
so that it is possible to earmark your exact purchases. I may tell you,
however, that until I came here, I had no notion of this singular
business. It appears that I forgot to advise my bankers before I left
England and that, even up to the present moment, they are meeting my
racing obligations out of the surplus moneys paid into my account. Now
according to what Raffle says, _your_ colt, I mean