nearly crushed the life out of me altogether. I was
compelled to find forty thousand pounds at a few hours' notice. The only
people I could think of were Absalom & Co., and I transferred your debt
to them. My dear fellow, if I hadn't done so I should have been in the
Bankruptcy Court to-day. Absalom & Co., in their turn, are being
squeezed, and that is why they are putting pressure upon you."

"Then you can't help me?" Sir George said blankly.

"My dear Sir George, I am afraid not. It is with great regret I say
this. In two or three weeks I shall be in funds, and if you will wait
till then, why I shall give you my cheque with pleasure. At the moment I
have nothing. In a month's time I shall have a fortune at my disposal.
But probably these people won't wait."

"Then I am ruined," Sir George exclaimed.

Copley murmured that it looked very much like it. He made no suggestion
at all. He merely appeared to be duly sympathetic. He was waiting for
Sir George Haredale to realize his position. That done, it would be easy
to play his game successfully.

For a time Sir George paced up and down the library. He cursed himself
and his bad fortune, blamed Chance, bemoaned his cruel ill luck; in
fact, like the weak man he was, he blamed everything except the headlong
folly and short-sighted blindness which had brought all this about. In
the meantime, Copley sat letting his fish play until his strength was
exhausted and he could readily be drawn to land. It was a one-sided
battle.

"Is there nothing you can suggest?" Sir George cried despairingly. "Is
there no way of getting delay?"

Copley made no reply for a time. When at length he spoke he dropped his
voice to a persuasive whisper.

"Well, there is one method," he said. "Absalom is a sportsman, and he
takes a great interest in racing matters. Between ourselves, he finances
some of the swell bookmakers, and I understand has a grip upon some of
the large commission firms. If you could show him a way to make thirty
or forty thousand pounds on a race like the Derby, you might induce him
to withdraw his execution for a month. Though he is in a corner, or he
wouldn't have dropped on you, the suggestion I speak of would be worth a
sacrifice."

"I don't follow you," Sir George said.

"No? Then I must speak more plainly. At the present moment you own a
colt which looks like winning the Derby. I know the colt has been
coughing lately, but your man Raffle is very sanguine and knows