Secondly, sir, I were
to give you this here, sir, naming no names, but she says as you'd
understand."
Hereupon the Bo'sun took off the glazed hat, inserted a hairy paw,
and brought forth a single, red rose.
So Barnabas took the rose, and bowed his head above it, and
straightway forgot the throng and bustle about him, and all things
else, yea even the great race itself until, feeling a touch upon his
arm, he turned to find the Earl of Bamborough beside him.
"He is very pale, Mr. Beverley!" said his Lordship, and, glancing
whither he looked, Barnabas saw the Viscount who was already mounted
upon his bay horse "Moonraker."
"Can you tell me, sir," pursued the Earl, "how serious his hurt
really is?"
"I know that he was shot, my Lord," Barnabas answered, "and that he
received a violent blow upon his wounded arm this morning, but he is
very reticent."
Here the Viscount chanced to catch sight of them, and, with his
groom at "Moonraker's" head, paced up to them.
"Viscount," said his Lordship, looking up at his son with wise, dark
eyes, "your arm is troubling you, I see."
"Indeed, sir, it might be--a great deal worse.
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