, and with a well-pleased flush on my face at my friend's
marvellous good fortune, I turned to congratulate him. He was gone. The
tumult and confusion were excessive; but looking toward the exit gate, I
just caught a glimpse of the book-maker passing rapidly through it, and
then of Richard in pursuit of him.

A stout young farmer, whom I knew, was standing behind me, and in a few
hurried words I told him what had happened. "Come with me," he said,
and off we ran, as though we had been entered for the cup ourselves. The
other two were already a field ahead, and far away from the course; but,
fast as the book-maker ran, the delicate Richard had come up with him. I
could imagine how pumped he was, but the idea of having been swindled by
this scoundrel, who was running off with his five-pound note, as well as
the fifty pounds he owed him, had no doubt lent him wings. It could not,
however, lend him strength, nor teach him the art of self-defence,
and after a few moments, passed doubtless in polite request and blunt
refusal, we saw the miscreant strike out from the shoulder and Richard
go down.

The time thus lost, however, short-lived as was the combat, was fatal
to the victor. There were few better runners in Dalton than my companion
and myself, and we gained on the book-maker, who had probably trained on
gin and bad tobacco, hand over hand. As we drew near him he turned round
and inquired, with many expletives, made half inarticulate by want
of breath, what we wanted with a gentleman engaged on his own private
affairs.

"Well," I said,--for as I could trust my agricultural friend with the
more practical measures that were likely to follow I thought it only
fair that I should do the talking,--"we want first the five-pound note
which that young gentleman, whom you have just knocked down, intrusted
to your care, and then the fifty pounds you have lost to him."

He called Heaven to witness that he had never made a bet in his life
with any young gentleman, but that, having been molested, he believed by
a footpad, as he was returning home to his family, he had been compelled
to defend himself.

"I heard you make the bet and saw you take the money," I remarked, with
confidence.

"That's good enough," said the farmer. "Now if you don't shell out that
money this instant, I'll have you back in the ring in a brace of shakes
and tell them what has happened. Last year they tore a welsher pretty
nigh to pieces, and this year, if