Presently Richard's voice reached him, feeble yet uncomplaining.

"I am so sorry, but you see it's no use, Kitty. The machinery won't
work. Let me lie flat again, Denny, please. That's better, thanks."

Then after a few moments of laboured breathing, he added--

"You mustn't trouble any more, it only disappoints you. We have just
got to submit to fact, my beloved, I've taken my last fence."

Ormiston's shoulders heaved convulsively as he leaned his forehead
against the cold, marble edge of the chimneypiece. His brother-in-law's
words brought the whole dreadful picture up before him. Oh! that cursed
slip and fall, that struggling, plunging, frenzied horse! And how the
horse had plunged and struggled, good God! It seemed as though Chifney,
the grooms, all of them, would never get hold of it or draw Richard out
from beneath the pounding hoofs. And then Ormiston went over his own
share in the business again, lamenting, blaming himself. Yet what more
natural, after all, than that he should have set his affections on the
Clown? Chifney believed in the horse too--a five-year-old brother of
Touchstone, resembling, in his black-brown skin and intelligent,
white-reach face, that celebrated horse; and inheriting--less enviable
distinction--the high shoulders and withers of his sire Camel. If the
Clown did not make a name, Captain Ormiston had sworn, by all the gods
of sport, he would never judge a horse again. And, heaven help us, was
this the ghastly way the Clown's name was to be made then?

The room grew very quiet again, save for a strange gurgling, rattling
sound Richard Calmady made, at times, in breathing. Mrs. Denny had
retired beyond the circle of firelight. And Katherine, having drawn her
chair a little further forward, so that the foot of the bed might be
out of sight, sat holding her husband's hand, softly caressing his
wrist and palm with her finger-tips. Soon the slow movement of her
fingers ceased, while she felt, in quick fear, for the fluttering,
intermittent pulse. Richard's breathing had become more difficult. He
moved his head restlessly and plucked at the sheet with his right hand.
It was a little more than flesh and blood could bear.

Katherine called to him softly under her breath,--"Richard, Dick, my
darling."

"All right, I'm coming."

He opened his eyes wide, as in sudden terror.

"Oh! I say though, what's happened? Where am I?"

Katherine leant down, kissed his hand, caressed it.

"Here, my