he Ambler had been bought out of the stud of Colonel Dorking, a man
opposed on high grounds to the racing of two-year-olds, and at the age of
three had never run. Showing more than a suspicion of form in one or two
home trials, he ran a bye in the Fane Stakes, when obviously not up to
the mark, and was then withdrawn from the public gaze. The Stable had
from the start kept its eye on the Rutlandshire Handicap, and no sooner
was Goodwood over than the commission was placed in the hands of
Barney's, well known for their power to enlist at the most appropriate
moment the sympathy of the public in a horse's favour. Almost
coincidentally with the completion of the Stable Commission it was found
that the public were determined to support the Ambler at any price over
seven to one. Barney's at once proceeded judiciously to lay off the
Stable Money, and this having been done, George found that he stood to
win four thousand pounds to nothing. If he had now chosen to bet this
sum against the horse at the then current price of eight to one, it is
obvious that he could have made an absolute certainty of five hundred
pounds, and the horse need never even have started. But George, who
would have been glad enough of such a sum, was not the man to do this
sort of thing. It was against the tenets of his creed. He believed,
too, in his horse; and had enough of the Totteridge in him to like a race
for a race's sake. Even when beaten there was enjoyment to be had out of
the imperturbability with which he could take that beating, out of a
sense of superiority to men not quite so sportsmanlike as himself.

"Come and see the nag saddled," he said to his brother Gerald.

In one of the long line of boxes the Ambler was awaiting his toilette, a
dark-brown horse, about sixteen hands, with well-placed shoulders,
straight hocks, a small head, and what is known as a rat-tail. But of
all his features, the most remarkable was his eye. In the depths of that
full, soft eye was an almost uncanny gleam, and when he turned it,
half-circled by a moon of white, and gave bystanders that look of strange
comprehension, they felt that he saw to the bottom of all this that was
going on around him. He was still but three years old, and had not yet
attained the age when people apply to action the fruits of understanding;
yet there was little doubt that as he advanced in years he would manifest
his disapproval of a system whereby men made money at his expe