His Grace — page 215: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

frlS GRACE 209 to lunch at the club, when I encountered Hurstbourne, who stopped me in order to say excitedly: ‘ Look here, old chap; _ I'll give you a real good tip for once. Back Mock Turtle for all you’re worth. He can’t lose, and I can get you 2 to 1 even now.” I shook my head and declined the tempting offer. I know very little about racing; but I was dimly aware that Mock Turtle was one of the horses that Hurst- bourne had bought.with their engagements and that the animal was entered for some race or other in the forthcoming Sandown meeting. “Have you backed him for all you’re worth?” I asked. “That wouldn’t be much, would it?” he laughed. “T’ve backed him pretty heavily, though, and I’ve backed The Crocodile too for the other event—which isn’t an absolute certainty, I confess.” He paused for a moment, tapping his boot with his cane and gaz- ing down the street. “ By the way,” he resumed, “vou’re coming with us to old Mother Deverell’s hop next Thursday, aren’t you ? ” ‘‘T shouldn’t think I was,” I answered; “ as far as I know, I haven’t been invited.” “Of course you have been invited, and of course you'll have to come. These two blessed races will be over by then, and I shall know better how I stand than I do now.” I don’t know whether he meant me to infer that, if Mock Turtle won, he would take that opportunity of proposing to Miss St. George. He looked as if he wouldn’t mind being questioned—which, I daresay, was why I abstained from questioning him. I was out of all patience with him, and that is the truth. 14 Gomichboo cS (E(0) m