mply edged away from his reviler, who went off to
"hedge" his bets, if possible.

"He 's a good horse, but he 's out of the race," said one of the
gentlemen who had been bantering Miss Ashland.

"Yes, but he never had a chance--a mere flash. You can't expect a common
pick-up to run against a field like that."

Mr. Newby turned back to the girl, who was leaning forward watching the
horse going over the hill.

"Well, Miss Catherine, ready to ask terms yet?"

"No; was n't that the water-jump!"

"Yes; but he has got to go over it again. Come, I 'll bet you twenty to
one he does n't win."

"Done."

"Now I 'll bet you a hundred and twenty to one he does n't get a place."

"Done."

"Now I 'll even things up, and bet you he does n't come in------"

"Done!" said the girl, turning on him with a sudden flash. "He shall
come in, if I have to go down there and ride him in myself."

An exclamation from one of the others broke in on this banter:

"Blessed if he is n't gaining on them!"

And sure enough, as the brown horse came out from beyond the hill,
though he was still far to the rear of the field, he had undoubtedly
lessened the gap between them. The young girl's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, he can't keep it up. He 's riding his heart out," said one of the
other gentlemen, with his glasses to his eyes. "But he 's a better horse
than I thought, and if he had had a rider he might----"

"He has got to make the Liverpool, and he 'll never do it," said Mr.
Newby. "There he goes now. Watch him. Jupiter! he 's over!"

"Did you see that jump? He 's got stuff in him!"

"But not enough. He 's got to go around once and a half yet."

"The blue is leading." "Red-jacket is coming up." "The green is done
for," etc.

So it went, with the horses coming around the curve for the second time.
The favorite and about half the others were running well, their riders
beginning to take the pace they proposed to keep to the end. Several
others were trailing along behind at various distances, among them the
two horses that had shot out in the lead at first, and behind all but
the last one, which was manifestly already beaten, the big brown horse,
galloping with head still up and ears still pointed forward, bent on
catching the horses ahead of him.

The field swept by the stands, most of them getting safely over the big
water-jump, though several of the horses struck hard, and one of them
went on his knees, pitching his rider over his head.