e
bank was walling.

The lane was about a mile long, and so was the bank. The latter made a
fair "grand stand." As such it was packed. Not only all the visitors
to Pau, but every single peasant for twenty miles about seemed to have
rallied at St. Jammes to see the sport. The regular business of the
race-course was conspicuously missing. Pleasure was strolling, cock of
an empty walk. For sheer bonhomie, the little meeting bade fair to
throw its elder brethren of the Hippodrome itself into the shadowy
distance.

Roland rode a fine race and won by a neck.

We left the bank and walked up the lane to offer our congratulations.

"Thank you. Thank you. But nex' year you will bring horses, eh? An'
we will ride against one another. Yes? You shall keep them with me.
I 'ave plenty of boxes, you know. An' on the day I will give your
horse his breakfast, and he shall give me the race. That's right. An'
when are you going to try my tank? I go away for a week, an' when I
come back yesterday, I ask my people, 'How has Captain Pleydell enjoyed
the car?' 'But he 'as not used it.' 'No? Then that is because the
Major has broken her up?' 'No. He has not been near.' I see now it
is not good enough. I tell you I am hurt. I shall not ask you again."

"Lunch with us to-morrow instead," laughed Daphne

"I am sure that I will," said Roland.

After a little we sauntered back to our bank....

It was nearly a quarter to five by the time we were home. That was
early enough, but the girls had grown tired of standing, and we had
seen Roland win twice. Jonah we had left to come in another car. This
was because he had found a brother-fisherman. When last we saw him, he
had a pipe in one hand, a lighted match in the other, and was
discussing casts....

Falcon met us at the door with a telegram addressed to 'Miss Mansel.'

The wording was short and to the point.

_Have met with accident can you come Piers Paris._

The next train to Paris left Pau in twelve minutes time.

Adele and a white-faced Jill caught it by the skin of their teeth.

They had their tickets, the clothes they stood up in, a brace of vanity
bags, and one hundred and forty-five francs. But that was all. It was
arranged feverishly upon the platform that Jonah and I should follow,
with such of their effects as Daphne gave us, by the ten-thirty train.

Then a horn brayed, I kissed Adele's fingers, poor Jill threw me a
ghost of a smile, and their c