Previous - Next

You could have
got fifteen to one yesterday, but the price has become
shorter and shorter, until you can hardly get three to
one now."

"Hum!" said Holmes. "Somebody knows something, that
is clear."

As the drag drew up in the enclosure near the grand
stand I glanced at the card to see the entries.

Wessex Plate [it ran] 50 sovs each h ft with 1000 sovs
added for four and five year olds. Second, L300.
Third, L200. New course (one mile and five furlongs).
Mr. Heath Newton's The Negro. Red cap. Cinnamon
jacket.
Colonel Wardlaw's Pugilist. Pink cap. Blue and black
jacket.
Lord Backwater's Desborough. Yellow cap and sleeves.
Colonel Ross's Silver Blaze. Black cap. Red jacket.
Duke of Balmoral's Iris. Yellow and black stripes.
Lord Singleford's Rasper. Purple cap. Black sleeves.

"We scratched our other one, and put all hopes on your
word," said the Colonel. "Why, what is that? Silver
Blaze favorite?"

"Five to four against Silver Blaze!" roared the ring.
"Five to four against Silver Blaze! Five to fifteen
against Desborough! Five to four on the field!"

"There are the numbers up," I cried. "They are all
six there."

"All six there? Then my horse is running," cried the
Colonel in great agitation. "But I don't see him. My
colors have not passed."

"Only five have passed. This must be he."

As I spoke a powerful bay horse swept out from the
weighing enclosure and cantered past us, bearing on
its back the well-known black and red of the Colonel.

"That's not my horse," cried the owner. "That beast
has not a white hair upon its body. What is this that
you have done, Mr. Holmes?"

"Well, well, let us see how he gets on," said my
friend, imperturbably. For a few minutes he gazed
through my field-glass. "Capital! An excellent
start!" he cried suddenly. "There they are, coming
round the curve!"

From our drag we had a superb view as they came up the
straight. The six horses were so close together that
a carpet could have covered them, but half way up the
yellow of the Mapleton stable showed to the front.
Before they reached us, however, Desborough's bolt was
shot, and the Colonel's horse, coming away with a
rush, passed the post a good six lengths before its
rival, the Duke of Balmoral's Iris making a bad third.

"It's my race, anyhow," gasped the Colonel, passing
his hand over his eyes. "I confess that I can make
neither head nor tail of it. Don't you think that you
have kept up your mystery long enough, Mr. Holmes?"

"Certainly, Colonel, you shall know everything. Let
us all go round and have a look at the horse together.
Here he is," he continued, as we made our way into the
weighing enclosure, where only owners and their
friends find admittance. "You have only to wash his
face and his leg in spirits of wine, and you will find
that he is the same old Silver Blaze as ever."

"You take my breath away!"

"I found him in the hands of a faker, and took the
liberty of running him just as he was sent over.

Previous - Next