At the sound of the loved voice the beautiful animal turned his head,
with a whinny of delight. Then, as the two people he disliked with every
fibre of his being approached him--Jasper Vermont and Peacock, the
jockey--he laid his ears back with every appearance of alarm and
distrust. It seemed as if his animal instincts were keener than those of
his master.
Leroy stroked the soft nose of the race-horse, while Jasper passed his
hand admiringly over the satiny neck.
"Beautiful as a daisy," he exclaimed, and as Mr. Vermont would hardly
have recognised that humble flower if he had seen it, this was rather
qualified praise.
"Too long in the leg," murmured a man whom Jasper had previously
introduced as a sporting friend of his.
Adrien turned round and surveyed the speaker calmly for a moment.
"Too leggy, you think, do you? I'll lay two to one upon them."
"Done," said the man sharply. "Hundreds or thousands?"
"Thousands," said Adrien quietly.
Jasper touched him on the arm and whispered, in gentle remonstrance:
"Steady, old chap, there's pots of money on him as it is. Don't you
think it would be as well--"
"Make it thousands," interrupted Adrien, almost haughtily, as he turned
on his heel.
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