in time to
allow her to reach the railings before the start. Suddenly a name
uttered by an apoplectic gentleman in a voice breaking with fine passion
reached her ears, with the odds attached to it of nine to one.

Miranda's face cleared of all its troubles.

"Oh, why didn't I think of that before?" she said in an extremity of
self-reproach. She walked straight to the apoplectic gentleman, followed
by the unhappy pair of scientific punters.

"Callow Girl is nine to one, isn't it?"

The apoplectic gentleman smiled winningly.

"To you, missie."

Miranda laughed.

"I'll have ten pounds on it," she said, and did not hear the gasp of her
husband behind her. She made a note of the bet in her little
pocket-book.

"That's ninety pounds, anyway," she said, turning to her companions.
"They will just buy that simple little Callot frock with the
embroidery."

Yes, racing was as easy as that to Miranda Brown. She wanted a simple
little Callot frock which would cost ninety pounds, and Callow Girl was
obviously marked out to win it for her.

"Then I shall be a Callot girl," she said gaily, and as neither of her
companions enjoyed her witticism she stamped her small foot in vexation.

"Oh, how dull you both are!" she cried.

"Well, you see," Dennis rejoined, "we've had rather a bad day."

"So have I," returned Miranda indignantly. "Yet I keep up my spirits."

A look of blank amazement overspread the face of Dennis Brown. He gazed
around as one who should say, "Did you ever see anything so amazing
outside the Ark?"

Miranda corrected her remark with a laugh.

"Well, I mean I haven't won as much as I should have if I had backed
winners." For she had really mastered the science of the race-course.
She knew how to go racing. Her husband paid her losses and she kept her
winnings.

Harold Jupp took her seriously by the arm.

"You ought to go into a home, Miranda," he advised. "You really ought.
That little head was never meant for all this weighty thought."

Miranda walked across to the little stone terrace which looks down the
course.

"Don't be foolish, Harold, but go and collect Colonel Luttrell if you
can find him, whilst I see my filly win," she said. "Dennis has already
gone to find the car and we propose to start immediately this race is
over."

Miranda ascended the grass slope and saw the fillies canter down towards
the starting post. From the chatter about her she gathered that the odds
on Callow Girl ha