ll, stood just
where she was; but her back was now toward the winning-post and she
seemed to have forgotten its existence.

"Do you know," she said very slowly, "my horse has lost."

"What does that mean?" Alban asked with real earnestness.

She laughed again, looking about her a little wildly as though to read
something of the story upon other faces.

"What does it mean--oh, lots of things. I wonder if we could get a cup
of tea, Alban--I think I should like one."

He said that he would see and led her across the enclosure toward the
marquee. As they went a sybilant sound of hissing arose. The "Alright"
had come from the weighing-in room and the people were hissing the
winner. Presently, from the far side of the course, a louder outcry
could be heard. That which the men in the gray frock-coats were telling
each other in whispers was being told also by the mob in stentorian
tones. "The horse was pulled off his feet," said the knowing ones; "they
ought to warn the whole crowd off."

Anna heard these cries and began dimly to understand them. She knew that
Willy Forrest had done this in return for the slight she had put upon
him at Henley. He had named his own jockey for the race and chosen one
who had little reputation to lose. Between them they would have reason
to remember the Royal Hunt Cup for many a day. Their gains could have
been little short of thirty thousand pounds--and of this sum, Anna owed
them nearly five thousand.

She heard the people's cries and the sounds affrighted her. Not an
Englishwoman, none the less she had a good sense of personal honor, and
her pride was wounded, not only because of this affront but that a
strange people should put it upon her. Had it been any individual
accusation, she would have faced it gladly--but this intangible judgment
of the multitude, the whispering all about her, the sidelong glances of
the men and the open contempt of the women, these she could not meet.

"Let us go back to the bungalow to tea," she exclaimed suddenly, as
though it were but a whim of the moment; "this place makes my head ache.
Let us start now and avoid the crush. Don't you think it would be a
great idea, Alban?"

He said that it would be--but chancing to look at her while she spoke,
he perceived the tears gathering in her eyes and knew that she had
suffered a great misfortune.

* * * * *

Richard Gessner knew nothing of Anna's racing escapades, nor had he any