rning and evening, everybody says to me: 'Prince, a man like you ought
to make your name celebrated on the turf.' Besides I never open a paper
without reading: 'Such a man ought to be a patron of the noblest of
sports.' At last, I said to myself: 'Yes, they are right. I ought to
take part in racing.' So I began to look about for some horses. I had
purchased several, when the Marquis de Valorsay proposed to sell me
some of his, some that were very well known, and that had--so he assured
me--won at least ten times the amount they had cost him. I accepted
his offer, and visited his stables, where I selected seven of his best
horses and paid for them; and I paid a good round price, I assure you.
Now comes the knavery. He has not given me the horses I purchased. The
real animals, the valuable ones--have been sold in England under false
names, and although the horses sent to me may be like the others in
appearance, they are really only common animals, wanting both in blood
and speed."

Pascal and the baron exchanged astonished glances. It must be confessed
that frauds of every description are common enough in the racing world,
and a great deal of dishonest manoeuvring results from greed for gain
united with the fever of gambling. But never before had any one been
accused of such an audacious and impudent piece of rascality as that
which Kami-Bey imputed to Valorsay.

"How did you fail to discover this at the outset, prince?" inquired
Pascal in an incredulous tone.

"Because my time was so much occupied."

"But your servants?"

"Ah! that's another thing. I shouldn't be at all surprised if it were
proved that the man who has charge of my stables had been bribed by the
marquis."

"Then, how were your suspicions aroused?"

"It was only by the merest chance. A jockey whom I thought of employing
had often ridden one of the animals which I fancied myself the owner of.
Naturally, I showed him the horse, but he had no sooner set eyes on it
than he exclaimed: 'That the horse! Never! You've been cheated, prince!'
Then we examined the others, and the fraud became apparent."

Knowing Kami's character better than Pascal, the baron had good
reason to distrust the accuracy of these statements. For the Turkish
millionaire's superb contempt of money was only affected. Vanity alone
unloosed his purse-strings. He was quite capable of presenting Jenny
Fancy with a necklace costing five-and-twenty thousand francs for the
sake of seeing h