thatthereweremanypeoplewhohadthestrongestinterestinpreventingSilverBlazefrombeingthereatthefalloftheflagnextTuesday.
“Thefactwas,ofcourse,appreciatedatKing’sPyland,wheretheColonel’straining-stableissituated.Everyprecautionwastakentoguardthefavourite.Thetrainer,JohnStraker,isaretiredjockeywhorodeinColonelRoss’scoloursbeforehebecametooheavyfortheweighing-chair.HehasservedtheColonelforfiveyearsasjockeyandforsevenastrainer,andhasalwaysshownhimselftobeazealousandhonestservant.Underhimwerethreeladsfortheestablishmentwasasmallone,containingonlyfourhorsesinall.Oneoftheseladssatupeachnightinthestable,whiletheotherssleptintheloft.Allthreeboreexcellentcharacters.JohnStraker,whoisamarriedman,livedinasmallvillaabouttwohundredyardsfromthestables.Hehasnochildren,keepsonemaid-servant,andiscomfortablyoff.Thecountryroundisverylonely,butabouthalfamiletothenorththereisasmallclusterofvillaswhichhavebeenbuiltbyaTavistockcontractorfortheuseofinvalidsandotherswhomaywishtoenjoythepureDartmoorair.Tavistockitselfliestwomilestothewest,whileacrossthemoor,alsoabouttwomilesdistant,isthelargertrainingestablishmentofMapleton,whichbelongstoLordBackwater,andismanagedbySilasBrown.Ineveryotherdirectionthemoorisacompletewilderness,inhabitedonlybyafewroaminggypsies.SuchwasthegeneralsituationlastMondaynightwhenthecatastropheoccurred.
“Onthateveningthehorseshadbeenexercisedandwateredasusual,andthestableswerelockedupatnineo’clock.Twooftheladswalkeduptothetrainer’shouse,wheretheyhadsupperinthekitchen,whilethethird,NedHunter,remainedonguard.Atafewminutesafterninethemaid,EdithBaxter,carrieddowntothestableshissupper,whichconsistedofadishofcurriedmutton.Shetooknoliquid,astherewasawater-tapinthestables,anditwastherulethattheladondutyshoulddrinknothingelse.Themaidcarriedalanternwithher,asitwasverydarkandthepathranacrosstheopenmoor.
“EdithBaxterwaswithinthirtyyardsofthestables,whenamanappearedoutofthedarknessandcalledtohertostop.Ashesteppedintothecircleofyellowlightthrownbythelanternshesawthathewasapersonofgentlemanlybearing,dressedinagreysuitoftweeds,withaclothcap.Heworegaiters,andcarriedaheavystickwithaknobtoit.Shewasmostimpressed,however,bytheextremepallorofhisfaceandbythenervousnessofhismanner.Hisage,shethought,wouldberatheroverthirtythanunderit.
“‘CanyoutellmewhereIam?’heasked.‘Ihadalmostmadeupmymindtosleeponthemoor,whenIsawthelightofyourlantern.’
“‘YouareclosetotheKing’sPylandtraining-stables,’saidshe.
“‘Oh,indeed!Whatastrokeofluck!’hecried.‘Iunderstandthatastable-boysleepstherealoneeverynight.Perhapsthatishissupperwhichyouarecarryingtohim.NowIamsurethatyouwouldnotbetooproudtoearnthepriceofanewdress,wouldyou?’Hetookapieceofwhitepaperfoldedupoutofhiswaistcoatpocket.‘Seethattheboyhasthisto-night,andyoushallhavetheprettiestfrockthatmoneycanbuy.’
“Shewasfrightenedbytheearnestnessofhismanner,andranpasthimtothewindowthroughwhichshewasaccustomedtohandthemeals.Itwasalreadyopened,andHunterwasseatedatthesmalltableinside.Shehadbeguntotellhimofwhathadhappened,whenthestrangercameupagain.
“‘Good-evening,’saidhe,lookingthroughthewindow.‘Iwantedtohaveawordwithyou.’Thegirlhasswornthatashespokeshenoticedthecornerofthelittlepaperpacketprotrudingfromhisclosedhand.
“‘Whatbusinesshaveyouhere?’askedthelad.
“‘It’sbusinessthatmayputsomethingintoyourpocket,’saidtheother.‘You’vetwohorsesinfortheWessexCup—SilverBlazeandBayard.Letmehavethestraighttipandyouwon’tbealoser.IsitafactthatattheweightsBayardcouldgivetheotherahundredyardsinfivefurlongs,andthatthestablehaveputtheirmoneyonhim?’
“‘So,you’reoneofthosedamnedtouts!’criedthelad.‘I’llshowyouhowweservetheminKing’sPyland.’Hesprangupandrushedacrossthestabletounloosethedog.Thegirlfledawaytothehouse,butassheranshelookedbackandsawthatthestrangerwasleaningthroughthewindow.Aminutelater,however,whenHunterrushedoutwiththehoundhewasgone,andthoughheranallroundthebuildingshefailedtofindanytraceofhim.”
“Onemoment,”Iasked.“Didthestable-boy,whenheranoutwiththedog,leavethedoorunlockedbehindhim?”
“Excellent,Watson,excellent!”murmuredmycompanion.“TheimportanceofthepointstruckmesoforciblythatIsentaspecialwiretoDartmooryesterdaytoclearthematterup.Theboylockedthedoorbeforeheleftit.Thewindow,Imayadd,wasnotlargeenoughforamantogetthrough.
“Hunterwaiteduntilhisfellow-groomshadreturned,whenhesentamessagetothetrainerandtoldhimwhathadoccurred.Strakerwasexcitedathearingtheaccount,althoughhedoesnots