LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2368, 4 November 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

HOW HE WAS FOILED.

'' Six to four on the field—two to ono, bar j one," was the refrain of a yelling crowd of ] small bookmakers at the Bingleton Hunt and Military Steeplechase Meeting as tho numbers wont up for the first race. At tho time | I write about I was subaltern In a cavalry regiment, and possessed a four-legged specimen of a thoroughbred named Whistler, that I had proudly set my hopes upon would win the Regimental Onp. The horse waa an Iron grey of Irish pedigree, tracing tack to Irish Blrdcatcher and Chanticleer, from the latter of whom no doubt he inherited the grey badge characteristic of his tribe. I had purchased him tho previous year at Tattersail's in a weeding out sale of a fashionable racing stable, with the expressed view of training him fcr, and winning, If possible, the pride of my ambition, " The Local Regimental Cup?' Whistler had been sent to an Epsom pnblio training establishment, and had received sufficient schooling and tuition to render him amongst military animals a formidable competitor. Considerable betting at mesa had taken place upon the event, and I myself had supported Whistler for upwards of two hundred pounds, one of my principal bets being an even hundred on Whistler against Lobelia, a mare owned by a Captain Gorman, a man for whom I had an intense dislike, and poßsibly the dislike was mutual. Oar military race was fixed third on the card, and Whistler, in charge of a stable lad, waa being led round and round the small paddook attached to the primitive stand, ready for the dread encounter.

' Ha! Radford,' exclaimed Gormin, greeting me, ' whose to be victorious to-day, your oolt or my mare ?' 4 Perhaps neither,' I replied lasonicilly. • There are so many other competitors, end we may not be in the hunt.' * Egad, your horse looks fit. I fanoy my mare is a bit off; but if you wish to indulge in a little extra gamble, I am open to bet you a cool century that I finish before yon, however they run.' ' I really don't care about plunging any further, Gorman.' * Careful—breeches pocket—eh, old fellow. I never thought you would refuse my challenge ; evidently you aro losing confidence. Oome, I'll lay one hundred and a pony to a ■hundred on mine.*

'As you are so pressing and so libera 1 ., I will accommodate yon, my friend, and may the beat win.'

Gorman booked the bet, and somewhat, as I fancied, tnpercilions'y turned upon his heel, proceeding[tothe weighing-room in order to strip for the mount. My brother was to rldo Whistler, as unfortunately I oould not soale the regulation list 71b ; even in thoße salad days my riding weight was over 12sfc. Twelve starters were announced upon the telegr»ph board ; the majority, however, were half-breds, and had undergone no special preparat'on. Whistler and Lobelia appeared the only two that attracted popular attention, and the hffiir was very generally looked uf on in the light of a match between thorn. The batting community offered 7to 4on the fijld, and 10 to 1 bar two. Having seen my brother correctly weighed out, and the horse duly saddled, and led out on to the oourse, I was about to take up my position in the Btand to eagerly watch the result, when I waß accosted by a peculiar looking individual, half man, half boy, if I may use the term —a species of the mongrel otablo help, so frequently met with on English racecourses, and hanging around the purlieus of racing stables.'

• Beg pardon, sir,' said* the individual, «but Mr Radford, I b.lieve ? ' ' 'I hat is my name.' ' Excuse me, sir, but haven't you a grey horse running in this race ? '

' I have.' •And Captain Gorman has one running, a'so ?'

*He has. But what is your business ? ' * Steady—steady, as my old gov'ner used to say. Put the ekid on down hill. Be easy, sir, and lam a-coming to it. Captain Gorman ain't no good.* * I don't understand you. You speak in enigmas,' ' I speak plain enough. Captain Gorman is a going to best you, and win this race. He once did an injury to one I loved dearly. I owe Captain Gorman something, and today lam going- to repay him. He's a thief and a scoundrel.'

• My good man, please explain what it is yon really want. Captain Gorman's failings scarcely concern me.' • What's the captain's weight nanal riding weight, eh ?' ' I should eay about 10st.' ' And what weight is his maro supposed to carry to-day ?' • list 71b ; all the weights are the same.' ' Then Captain Gorman intends only to carry 10at, and his groom will slip him the 211 b leads after the race is over when he pulls down the courae to come back. He'll win right enough, and your grey will be second. Now, mark me, I don't want any reward from yon; to see his discomfiture and to see him done at his own gamo will be my satisfaction. I intend to stick close to his groom —Smock-Headed Bob we call him —and Immediately after the race I intend to get into an altercation and a souffle, m»ybo a fight with him, so that he can't slip those leads to his devil of a master, and he's as sure to be disqualified for short weight as I've got this old riding whip in my hasd j leave me to my work, and you look to the weighing-In, and if he is not done at his own game I shall be very much mistaken. I saw him give Bob the leads after he'd weighed out, and, guv'nor, I thought, I'll juat come and give you the tip.' My mysterious visitor departed down the couree, and I took my position on the stand, pondering over what I had heard. Gorman I always had my doubts about, but that he would be guilty of such an act tf fraud and villany I could hardly have credited. The flag dropped, and the steeplechase commenced. It was a four mile affair, over some rather ugly country and a considerble quantity of ploughed heavy land. Gorman made the running, apparently at a capital pace, and soon there became a long tail. First one fell, then another refused, until, in the final round (they hid to go three times round the stand), only threa remained to fight the battle out, Lobelia, with Gorman up, leading and going well within herself ; Whistler, and a I'ttle mare belonging to the adjutant. Three quarters of a mile from home my brother made bis effort on Whistler, and though he materially decreased Gorman's lead, he was never able to get on absolute terms, and was defeated in a canter by some half dozen lengths. Gorman went some distance down the course before pulling the mare up, and sura enough, away from the crowd his groom Bob, as my mysterious visitor had hinted, was awaiting him Just as the master and man were about to meet, some altercation or struggle evidently was taking place, a crowd oolleoted speedily round and I could see the stranger and Bob ding-dong indulging in a rough and ready set-to. Gorman lingered for a time on his horse hopeleesly with the crowd, but all hope of communication between him and his conspirator was utterly out of the question. Reluctantly he had to return to the paddock; and in the weighing-room, surrounded by several friends to whom I had hinted what might happen, I awaited his return. On jumping in the scale, he was utterly unable to draw the weight, and the Stewards, as a matter of rule, awarded the race to the second horse, Whistler. Gorman was awfully chagrined and cut up, and no man ever p*id btts mere reluctantly than he did his. Somehow, the scandal spread. Sinister rumors beaame afloat as to Gorman's intended swindle, and the whole mess showed their contempt at his conduct by giving him the out direct. Soon after he had to sell out; and some years subsequently, when on a Continental trip, I found the quondam Captain occupying the dubious position of bonnet at a gambling hell, possessing an unsavory reputation. If it had not been for the indefatigable stranger probably the fraud would have pissed undiscovered, and I, instead of being the proud possessor of the cup, which I retain to this day as a family heirloom, should have been some hundreds out of pocket. In racing, as in other matters, although, for a time dubious and crooked ways miy prosper, eventually retribution is cure to ensue. Gorman's oase was not an exceptional one, no doubt similar (swindles have era now been allowed to pasa undiscovered ; but in ninety-nine instances out of a hundred straight sailing and honest dealing brings, In ths hrg run, the moat I substantial reward.