with Copley under the name of Field. The
more Copley thought over the matter the less he liked it. He had known
Fielden by name, although they had never met. He realized for the first
time that he had a deadly enemy under his own roof, so to speak. How
much did these two know?

Well, it wouldn't be difficult to discover. He would send for Fielden
directly he got back to Seton Manor and pump him judiciously. Foster
awaited him with the air of a man who finds the world a good place to
live in. He looked uneasy, however, as he noted the expression of his
employer's face.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Matter enough," Copley growled. "It's all over, my friend. You can say
good-bye to your dreams of fortune. If we can get away with a whole skin
we shall be lucky. As far as I can make out, we have made ourselves
liable for thirty or forty thousand pounds, and have nothing to pay it
with."

"Well, that's all right," Foster said.

"Oh, is it? I suppose you will admit that if the Blenheim colt turns out
fit and well for the Derby there is nothing to beat him."

"If he does turn out. But he won't."

"Oh, yes, he will. But I'll tell you the story and if you can show me
some way out you are a cleverer man than I take you for."

Foster listened with deepest interest. He looked just as anxious and
haggard as Copley by the time the story was finished. For a long time he
sat gnawing his fingers.

"It's a facer," he said presently. "That horse will run, and he'll win,
too, unless we can find some means of preventing him from starting. We
_must_ find some means."

Copley threw up his hand impatiently.

"What's the good of talking that rot?" he said. "The age for getting at
horses is past. That was done with years ago. Even the sporting writer
wouldn't dare to use a situation like this. You must think of something
better than that. If the worst comes to the worst we've got a few weeks
to turn round between now and Derby day. Sir George owes me forty
thousand pounds, which I must get without delay. It is no use thinking
anything more about May Haredale. With that money we may be able to
cover our loss or hedge and bring it down to a trifle. We shall have to
be contented with what we make over the Mirst Park meeting. So long as
Rickerby and that set are not suspicious----"

"I begin to fear they are," Foster interrupted. "As you know, we ought
to have had a big cheque last week, but it hasn't come, though I wrote a
sharp