hare. You will have to tell him what I've told you,
sir, and if Sir George wants proofs I shall have them ready when the
time comes."

"Nobody knows anything of this?" Fielden asked.

"Not a soul, sir," Raffle said solemnly. "Nobody even guesses it, and if
you hadn't turned up I should have gone down to my grave with the secret
unspoken. Because, as I said before, sir, there's no harm done, and
nobody any the worse. But, seeing that you have come back, why, the
truth must be told."

"And what will Miss Haredale say?" Fielden asked.

Raffle's face paled perceptibly.

"Ah, well, sir," he said, "that won't be very pleasant. I'd do anything
in the world for Miss May, but she isn't you, and that makes a
difference. Of course, I know what you would do if you had your own way.
You would just say nothing about it and let Sir George put the money in
his pocket. You would rather starve than do anything you didn't consider
right. I can see it in your face now, I can tell by your eyes. But it
isn't going to be, sir. You'll excuse me for speaking so plainly, but I
couldn't rest comfortably in my grave if I thought you were in want,
when, by every right, you ought to have a fortune in your pocket. It's
no use you arguing, Mr. Harry, if you don't tell the truth, I shall."

The old man's voice shook strangely as he spoke. His lips were
quivering, but there was an air of determination about him which there
was no mistaking. Nobody knew better than Fielden how obstinate Joe
Raffle could be. There was nothing to gain by threats, and sternness
would be worse than useless.

"I am certain you have acted for the best," Fielden said soothingly.
"And, as you say, there is nothing wrong in this little scheme of
yours. Why, you might have kept the colt yourself and made a fortune
over him. But, to use a pet expression of your own, my dear Joe, what
you have told me has knocked me all of a heap. I must have time to think
it over. I should be sorry to spoil an interesting situation like this
by doing anything rash. Besides, there is plenty of time between now and
the Derby--pretty well three months, isn't it? Has the colt any other
engagements before Epsom?"

"Only two," Raffle explained. "And then he'll be an eye-opener to some
people. Now don't you do anything foolish, sir. If you go the right way
about it you've got a hundred thousand pounds in your pocket."

"Oh, I'll do nothing rash," Fielden laughed. "You needn't be afraid of
that.