buttheireyeswerealight，andyoucouldseethattheyhadalreadyconvictedandsentencedtheSeniorSubalternTheColonelseemedfiveyearsolderOneMajorwasshadinghiseyeswithhishandandwatchingthewomanfromunderneathitAnotherwaschewinghismoustacheandsmilingquietlyasifhewerewitnessingaplay。
Fullintheopenspaceinthecentre，bythewhist-tables，theSeniorSubaltern’sterrierwashuntingforfleasIrememberallthisasclearlyasthoughaphotographwereinmyhandIrememberthelookofhorrorontheSeniorSubaltern’sfaceItwasratherlikeseeingamanhanged；butmuchmoreinterestingFinally，thewomanwoundupbysayingthattheSeniorSubalterncarriedadoubleFMintattooonhisleftshoulderWeallknewthat，andtoourinnocentmindsitseemedtoclinchthematterButoneoftheBachelorMajorssaidverypolitely：——“Ipresumethatyourmarriagecertificatewouldbemoretothepurpose？”
ThatrousedthewomanShestoodupandsneeredattheSeniorSubalternforacur，andabusedtheMajorandtheColonelandalltherestThenshewept，andthenshepulledapaperfromherbreast，sayingimperially：——“Takethat！Andletmyhusband——mylawfullyweddedhusband——readitaloud——ifhedare！”
Therewasahush，andthemenlookedintoeachother’seyesastheSeniorSubalterncameforwardinadazedanddizzyway，andtookthepaperWewerewonderingaswestared，whethertherewasanythingagainstanyoneofusthatmightturnuplateronTheSeniorSubaltern’sthroatwasdry；but，asheranhiseyeoverthepaper，hebrokeoutintoahoarsecackleofrelief，andsaidtothewoman：——
“Youyoungblackguard！”
Butthewomanhadfledthroughadoor，andonthepaperwaswritten：——“ThisistocertifythatI，TheWorm，havepaidinfullmydebtstotheSeniorSubaltern，and，further，thattheSeniorSubalternismydebtor，byagreementonthe23dofFebruary，asbytheMessattested，totheextentofonemonth’sCaptain’spay，inthelawfulcurrencyoftheIndiaEmpire。”
ThenadeputationsetoffforTheWorm’squartersandfoundhim，betwixtandbetween，unlacinghisstays，withthehat，wig，sergedress，etc。，onthebedHecameoverashewas，andthe“Shikarris“shoutedtilltheGunners’MesssentovertoknowiftheymighthaveashareofthefunIthinkwewereall，excepttheColonelandtheSeniorSubaltern，alittledisappointedthatthescandalhadcometonothingButthatishumannatureTherecouldbenotwowordsaboutTheWorm’sactingItleanedasneartoanastytragedyasanythingthissideofajokecanWhenmostoftheSubalternssatuponhimwithsofa-cushionstofindoutwhyhehadnotsaidthatactingwashisstrongpoint，heansweredveryquietly：——“Idon’tthinkyoueveraskedmeIusedtoactatHomewithmysisters。”ButnoactingwithgirlscouldaccountforTheWorm’sdisplaythatnightPersonally，Ithinkitwasinbadtaste。
BesidesbeingdangerousThereisnosortofuseinplayingwithfire，evenforfun。
The“Shikarris“madehimPresidentoftheRegimentalDramaticClub；
and，whentheSeniorSubalternpaiduphisdebt，whichhedidatonce，TheWormsankthemoneyinsceneryanddressesHewasagoodWorm；andthe“Shikarris“areproudofhimTheonlydrawbackisthathehasbeenchristened“MrsSeniorSubaltern；“andastherearenowtwoMrsSeniorSubalternsintheStation，thisissometimesconfusingtostrangers。
Lateron，Iwilltellyouofacasesomethinglike，this，butwithallthejestleftoutandnothinginitbutrealtrouble。
THEBROKENLINKHANDICAPPED。
Whilethesnaffleholds，orthe“long-neck“stings，Whilethebigbeamtilts，orthelastbellrings，Whilehorsesarehorsestotrainandtorace，ThenwomenandwinetakeasecondplaceForme——forme——
Whileashort“ten-three“
Hasafieldtosquanderorfencetoface！
SongoftheGR。
TherearemorewaysofrunningahorsetosuityourbookthanpullinghisheadoffinthestraightSomemenforgetthis。
Understandclearlythatallracingisrotten——aseverythingconnectedwithlosingmoneymustbeOuthere，inadditiontoitsinherentrottenness，ithasthemeritofbeingtwo-thirdssham；
lookingprettyonpaperonlyEveryoneknowseveryoneelsefartoowellforbusinesspurposesHowonearthcanyourackandharryandpostamanforhislosings，whenyouarefondofhiswife，andliveinthesameStationwithhim？Hesays，“ontheMondayfollowing。”“Ican’tsettlejustyet。”“Yousay，“Allright，oldman。”andthinkyourselfluckyifyoupulloffninehundredoutofatwo-thousandrupeedebtAnywayyoulookatit，Indianracingisimmoral，andexpensivelyimmoralWhichismuchworseIfamanwantsyourmoney，heoughttoaskforit，orsendroundasubscription-list，insteadofjugglingaboutthecountry，withanAustralianlarrikin；a“brumby。”withasmuchbreedastheboy；abraceofchumarsingold-lacedcaps；threeorfourekka-ponieswithhoggedmanes，andaswitch-taileddemirepofamarecalledArabbecauseshehasakinkinherflagRacingleadstotheshroffquickerthananythingelseButifyouhavenoconscienceandnosentiments，andgoodhands，andsomeknowledgeofpace，andtenyears’experienceofhorses，andseveralthousandrupeesamonth，I
believethatyoucanoccasionallycontrivetopayyourshoeing-
bills。
DidyoueverknowShackles——bwg。，15。13。8——coarse，loose，mule-
likeears——barrelaslongasagate-post——toughasatelegraph-wire——
andthequeerestbrutethateverlookedthroughabridle？Hewasofnobrand，beingoneofanear-nickedmobtakenintotheBucephalusat4l-10saheadtomakeupfreight，andsoldrawandoutofconditionatCalcuttaforRs275Peoplewholostmoneyonhimcalledhima“brumby；“butifeveranyhorsehadHarpoon’sshouldersandTheGin’stemper，ShackleswasthathorseTwomileswashisownparticulardistanceHetrainedhimself，ranhimself，androdehimself；and，ifhisjockeyinsultedhimbygivinghimhints，heshutupatonceandbuckedtheboyoffHeobjectedtodictationTwoorthreeofhisownersdidnotunderstandthis，andlostmoneyinconsequenceAtlasthewasboughtbyamanwhodiscoveredthat，ifaracewastobewon，Shackles，andShacklesonly，wouldwinitinhisownway，solongashisjockeysatstill。
Thismanhadariding-boycalledBrunt——aladfromPerth，WestAustralia——andhetaughtBrunt，withatrainer’swhip，thehardestthingajockcanlearn——tositstill，tositstill，andtokeeponsittingstillWhenBruntfairlygraspedthistruth，ShacklesdevastatedthecountryNoweightcouldstophimathisowndistance；andThefameofShacklesspreadfromAjmirintheSouth，toChedputterintheNorthTherewasnohorselikeShackles，solongashewasallowedtodohisworkinhisownwayButhewasbeatenintheend；andthestoryofhisfallisenoughtomakeangelsweep。
AtthelowerendoftheChedputterracecourse，justbeforetheturnintothestraight，thetrackpassesclosetoacoupleofoldbrick-
moundsenclosingafunnel-shapedhollowThebigendofthefunnelisnotsixfeetfromtherailingsontheoff-sideTheastoundingpeculiarityofthecourseisthat，ifyoustandatoneparticularplace，abouthalfamileaway，insidethecourse，andspeakatanordinarypitch，yourvoicejusthitsthefunnelofthebrick-moundsandmakesacuriouswhiningechothereAmandiscoveredthisonemorningbyaccidentwhileouttrainingwithafriendHemarkedtheplacetostandandspeakfromwithacoupleofbricks，andhekepthisknowledgetohimselfEVERYpeculiarityofacourseisworthrememberinginacountrywhereratsplaythemischiefwiththeelephant-litter，andStewardsbuildjumpstosuittheirownstables。
Thismanranaveryfairishcountry-bred，along，rackinghighmarewiththetemperofafiend，andthepacesofanairywanderingseraph——adrifty，glidystretchThemarewas，asadelicatetributetoMrsReiver，called“TheLadyRegulaBaddun“——orforshort，RegulaBaddun。
Shackles’jockey，Brunt，wasaquiet，well-behavedboy，buthisnerveshadbeenshakenHebeganhiscareerbyridingjump-racesinMelbourne，whereafewStewardswantlynching，andwasoneofthejockeyswhocamethroughtheawfulbutchery——perhapsyouwillrecollectit——oftheMaribyrnongPlateThewallswerecolonialramparts——logsofjarrakspikedintomasonry——withwingsasstrongasChurchbuttressesOnceinhisstride，ahorsehadtojumporfallHecouldn’trunoutIntheMaribyrnongPlate，twelvehorseswerejammedatthesecondwallRedHat，leading，fellthisside，andthrewoutTheGlen，andtheruckcameupbehindandthespacebetweenwingandwingwasonestruggling，screaming，kickingshamblesFourjockeysweretakenoutdead；threewereverybadlyhurt，andBruntwasamongthethreeHetoldthestoryoftheMaribyrnongPlatesometimes；andwhenhedescribedhowWhalleyonRedHat，said，asthemarefellunderhim：——“Godha’mercy，I’mdonefor！”andhow，nextinstant，SitheeThereandWhiteOtterhadcrushedthelifeoutofpoorWhalley，andthedusthidasmallhellofmenandhorses，noonemarvelledthatBrunthaddroppedjump-
racesandAustraliatogetherRegulaBaddun’sownerknewthatstorybyheartBruntnevervarieditinthetellingHehadnoeducation。
ShacklescametotheChedputterAutumnracesoneyear，andhisownerwalkedaboutinsultingthesportsmenofChedputtergenerally，tilltheywenttotheHonorarySecretaryinabodyandsaid：——“AppointHandicappers，andarrangearacewhichshallbreakShacklesandhumbletheprideofhisowner。”TheDistrictsroseagainstShacklesandsentupoftheirbest；Ousel，whowassupposedtobeabletodohismilein1-53；Petard，thestud-bred，trainedbyacavalryregimentwhoknewhowtotrain；Gringalet，theewe-lambofthe75th；
Bobolink，theprideofPeshawar；andmanyothers。
TheycalledthatraceTheBroken-LinkHandicap，becauseitwastosmashShackles；andtheHandicapperspiledontheweights，andtheFundgaveeighthundredrupees，andthedistancewas“roundthecourseforallhorses。”Shackles’ownersaid：——“YoucanarrangetheracewithregardtoShacklesonlySolongasyoudon’tburyhimunderweight-cloths，Idon’tmindRegulaBaddun’sownersaid：——“I
throwinmymaretofretOuselSixfurlongsisRegula’sdistance，andshewillthenliedownanddieSoalsowillOusel，forhisjockeydoesn’tunderstandawaitingrace。”Now，thiswasalie，forRegulahadbeeninworkfortwomonthsatDehra，andherchancesweregood，alwayssupposingthatShacklesbrokeablood-vessel——OR
BRUNTMOVEDONHIM。
TheplunginginthelotterieswasfineTheyfilledeightthousand-
rupeelotteriesontheBrokenLinkHandicap，andtheaccountinthePioneersaidthat“favoritismwasdivided。”InplainEnglish，thevariouscontingentswerewildontheirrespectivehorses；fortheHandicappershaddonetheirworkwellTheHonorarySecretaryshoutedhimselfhoarsethroughthedin；andthesmokeofthecherootswaslikethesmoke，andtherattlingofthedice-boxesliketherattleofsmall-armfire。
Tenhorsesstarted——verylevel——andRegulaBaddun’sownercanteredoutonhisbacktoaplaceinsidethecircleofthecourse，wheretwobrickshadbeenthrownHefacedtowardsthebrick-moundsatthelowerendofthecourseandwaited。
ThestoryoftherunningisinthePioneerAttheendofthefirstmile，Shacklescreptoutoftheruck，wellontheoutside，readytogetroundtheturn，layholdofthebitandspinupthestraightbeforetheothersknewhehadgotawayBruntwassittingstill，perfectlyhappy，listeningtothe“drum，drum，drum“ofthehoofsbehind，andknowingthat，inabouttwentystrides，Shackleswoulddrawonedeepbreathandgoupthelasthalf-milelikethe“FlyingDutchman。”AsShackleswentshorttotaketheturnandcameabreastofthebrick-mound，Bruntheard，abovethenoiseofthewindinhisears，awhining，wailingvoiceontheoffside，saying：——“Godha’
mercy，I’mdonefor！”Inonestride，BruntsawthewholeseethingsmashoftheMaribyrnongPlatebeforehim，startedinhissaddleandgaveayellofterrorThestartbroughttheheelsintoShackles’
side，andthescreamhurtShackles’feelingsHecouldn’tstopdead；butheputouthisfeetandslidalongforfiftyyards，andthen，verygravelyandjudicially，buckedoffBrunt——ashaking，terror-strickenlump，whileRegulaBaddunmadeaneck-and-neckracewithBobolinkupthestraight，andwonbyashorthead——PetardabadthirdShackles’owner，intheStand，triedtothinkthathisfield-glasseshadgonewrongRegulaBaddun’sowner，waitingbythetwobricks，gaveonedeepsighofrelief，andcanteredbacktothestandHehadwon，inlotteriesandbets，aboutfifteenthousand。