, but was to be ridden by Jimmy Delmar of the 10th
Lancers, whose colours were violet with orange hoops. Montacute's horse,
Pas de Charge, which carried all the money of the Heavy Cavalry,
Montacute himself being in the Dragoon Guards, was of much the same
order, a black hunter with racing blood in him, loins and withers that
assured any amount of force, and no fault but that of a rather coarse
head, traceable to a slur on his 'scutcheon on the distaff side from a
plebeian great-grandmother, who had been a cart mare, the only stain in
his otherwise faultless pedigree. However, she had given him her massive
shoulders, so that he was in some sense a gainer by her after all. Wild
Geranium was a beautiful creature enough, a bright bay Irish mare, with
that rich red gloss that is like the glow of a horse-chestnut, very
perfect in shape, though a trifle light perhaps, and with not quite
strength enough in neck or barrel; she would jump the fences of her own
paddock half a dozen times a day for sheer amusement, and was game to
anything. She was entered by Cartouche of the Enniskillens, to be ridden
by "Baby Grafton," of the same corps, a feather-weight, and quite a boy,
but with plenty of science in him. These were the three favourites; Day
Star ran them close, the property of Durham Vavassour, of the Scots
Greys, and to be ridden by his owner; a handsome, flea-bitten, grey
sixteen-hander, with ragged hips, and action that looked a trifle
string-halty, but noble shoulders, and great force in the loins and
withers; the rest of the field, though unusually excellent, did not find
so many "sweet voices" for them, and were not so much to be feared: each
starter was of course much backed by his party, but the betting was
tolerably even on these four:--all famous steeplechasers;--the King at
one time, and Bay Regent at another, slightly leading in the Ring.

Thirty-two starters were hoisted up on the telegraph board, and as the
field got at last under weigh, uncommonly handsome they looked, while
the silk jackets of all the colours of the rainbow glittered in the
bright noon sun. As Forest King closed in, perfectly tranquil still, but
beginning to glow and quiver all over with excitement, knowing as well
as his rider the work that was before him, and longing for it in every
muscle and every limb, while his eyes flashed fire as he pulled at the
curb and tossed his head aloft, there went up a general shout of
"Favourite!" His beauty tol