As it
is, I'm going beyond--beyond his reach--for good and all. Which is
the purest--bit of luck I ever had. Lift me up a little--will you,
Beverley? Deuced fine day, b'gad! And how green the grass is--never
saw it so green before--probably because--never troubled to look
though, was always so--deuced busy, b'gad!--The poor old 'Rascal'
broke his back, Beverley--so did I. They--shot 'The Rascal,' but--"
Here the Captain sighed, and closed his eyes wearily, but after a
moment opened them again.
"A fine race, gentlemen!" said he, addressing the silent group,
"a fine race well ridden--and won by--my friend, Beverley. I'll
warrant him a--true-blue, gentlemen. Beverley, I--I congratulate--"
Once more he closed his eyes, sighed deeply and, with the sigh,
Captain Slingsby of the Guards had paid his debts--for good and all.
CHAPTER LIV
WHICH CONCERNS ITSELF CHIEFLY WITH A LETTER
And now, the "Galloping Countryman" found himself famous, and, being
so, made the further, sudden discovery that all men were his
"warmest friends," nay, even among the gentler sex this obtained,
for the most dragon-like dowagers, the haughtiest matrons, became
infinitely gracious; noble fathers were familiarly jocose; the
proudest beauties wore, for him, their most bewitching airs, since
as well as being famous, he was known to be one of the wealthiest
young men about town; moreover His Royal Highness had deigned to
notice him, and Her Grace of Camberhurst was his professed friend.
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