d, Fleetwood proved the doctor to be
right. He shot past Delamayn like an arrow from a bow. At the end of the
eight round, he was leading by two yards. Half the race had then been
run. Time, ten minutes and thirty-three seconds.

Toward the end of the ninth round, the pace slackened a little; and
Delamayn was in front again. He kept ahead, until the opening of the
eleventh round. At that point, Fleetwood flung up one hand in the air
with a gesture of triumph; and bounded past Delamayn with a shout of
"Hooray for the North!" The shout was echoed by the spectators. In
proportion as the exertion began to tell upon the men, so the excitement
steadily rose among the people looking at them.

At the twelfth round, Fleetwood was leading by six yards. Cries of
triumph rose among the adherents of the north, met by counter-cries of
defiance from the south. At the next turn Delamayn resolutely lessened
the distance between his antagonist and himself. At the opening of the
fourteenth round, they were coming sid e by side. A few yards more, and
Delamayn was in front again, amidst a roar of applause from the whole
public voice. Yet a few yards further, and Fleetwood neared him, passed
him, dropped behind again, led again, and was passed again at the end
of the round. The excitement rose to its highest pitch, as the
runners--gasping for breath; with dark flushed faces, and heaving
breasts--alternately passed and repassed each other. Oaths were heard
now as well as cheers. Women turned pale and men set their teeth, as the
last round but one began.

At the opening of it, Delamayn was still in advance. Before six yards
more had been covered, Fleetwood betrayed the purpose of his running in
the previous round, and electrified the whole assembly, by dashing past
his antagonist--for the first time in the race at the top of his speed.
Every body present could see, now, that Delamayn had been allowed to
lead on sufferance--had been dextrously drawn on to put out his whole
power--and had then, and not till then, been seriously deprived of the
lead. He made another effort, with a desperate resolution that roused
the public enthusiasm to frenzy. While the voices were roaring; while
the hats and handkerchiefs were waving round the course; while
the actual event of the race was, for one supreme moment, still in
doubt--Mr. Speedwell caught Sir Patrick by the arm.

"Prepare yourself!" he whispered. "It's all over."

As the words passed his lips,