r of people, including the Marples and
Crestwicks and Millicent, had gathered about the course. It was a dark
day, with a moist air and a low, gray sky. The grass was wet, a strip of
plowing which could not be avoided was soft and heavy, and the ground in
front of several of the jumps was in a far from satisfactory state.
Nasmyth, who kept a very small establishment and had hitherto generally
ridden the horse, walked round part of the course with Lisle.

"It will be heavy going and there's a nasty greasy patch at the biggest
fence," he said. "I'd have waited for a better day only that it's often
wet where they have the meeting, and I want to see what he can do over
ground like this. You'll have to watch him at the jumps."

"He'd do better with you in the saddle," Lisle suggested.

"I'd rather put you up. I'm not going to ride at the meeting; I'm over
the weight they ought to give him and I want to get him used to a
stranger's hands. As it's an outside event of no importance, I haven't
fixed on my man yet."

They walked back toward the starting-point, where Gladwyne was waiting,
with Batley and Crestwick in attendance. As they approached it, Millicent
joined them.

"Are you going to ride to-day?" she asked Lisle.

"Nasmyth insists," was the answer. "I'm afraid I won't do him much
credit."

Gladwyne looked up with a slight frown.

"You won't mind?" Nasmyth asked him. "I'd penalize the horse by nearly a
stone."

"No," replied Gladwyne, shortly; "there's no reason why I should object."

This was true, but he had an unreasoning aversion to facing this
opponent. Of late, the Canadian had caused him trouble at almost every
turn, and it looked as if he could not even indulge in a morning's
amusement without being plagued with him. He was conscious of a most
uncharitable wish that Lisle would come to grief at one of the fences and
break his neck. In many ways, this would be a vast relief.

"Would anybody like to make it a sporting match?" Crestwick asked. "The
bay's my fancy; I'm ready to back it."

Bella tried to catch his eye, but he disregarded this. She, however, saw
Lisle glance at Batley and noticed the latter's smile.

"It isn't worth while betting on trials," Batley declared. "Better wait
until the meeting."

The girl was less astonished than gratified. Gladwyne was surprised and
disconcerted. He had said nothing to Batley about Crestwick, but he had
noticed Lisle's warning glance, and the other's prompt