HALF A MILLION OF MONEY,

BY THE AUTHOR OF "BARBARA'S HISTORY."

CHAPTER XXXV.  BRAVO, ANTINOUS!

THE two Pulteneys stayed out, the one to act
as judge, the other as timekeeper; and the
timekeeper was to give the starting signal by
firing a pistol.

In the meanwhile, the eight competitors were
ranged side by side, close under the ladies'
platform, with the sleeves of their Jerseys rolled up
above the elbows, their arms drawn close to
their bodies, and their clenched fists pressed
against their chests—all lithe and eager-looking,
like a pack of greyhounds. Of these, the two
tallest and fairest were Saxon Trefalden and Sir
Charles Burgoyne. Sir Charles was the
handsomer man; but Saxon was a shade the taller,
and something more than a shade broader across
the shoulders. Well might Miss Hatherton
call him the golden-haired Antinous; only that
he was Antinous on a grander scale than the
famous Antinous of the Capitol — Antinous with
herculean possibilities of strength and speed.

With the exception of Lord Castletowers,
whose Jersey was of a creamy white, just the
tint of his flannel trousers, the young men were
each distinguished by the colours of their shirts.
Saxon's was striped pink and white; Burgoyne's
light blue and white; Vaughan's mauve and
white; and so on.

All was ready.  The course was clear; the
spectators silent; the competitors drawn up,
and waiting.  Suddenly, the timekeeper threw
up his hand, and fired in the air. At the same
instant, as if shot from his pistol, the eight
runners sprang forward, and the race began.

They had no sooner started than Saxon took
the lead, running lightly and steadily, with his
head well up, and his curls dancing in the sun.
He was obviously putting but little labour into
his running, and yet, at the first three or four
bounds, he had gained a good ten feet on his
companions. Next in order came Castletowers,
Vaughan, and Burgoyne, almost level with each
other; and close after them, Edward Brandon,
whose slightness of make and length of limb
enabled him to run tolerably well for a short
distance; but whose want of real physique
invariably knocked him up at the end of the first
three hundred yards.  Torrington, Greville, and
Pelham Hay brought up the rear. In this order
they ran the first round.  At the second turn,
however, just as they neared the ladies' platform,
Castletowers made a rush to the front,
and passed Saxon by some three or four feet.
At the same instant, Vaughan and Burgoyne
perceptibly increased their pace, widening the
space between themselves and the four last at
every stride.

And now Brandon, who had for some seconds
begun to show symptoms of distress, came
suddenly to a stand-still; and, being passed by those
in the rear, fell, pale and panting, to the earth.

In the mean while, Saxon had in no wise
quickened his pace, nor attempted to regain his
lead; but kept on at precisely the same rate
throughout the whole of the second round.
Just as they were beginning the third, however,
and at the very point where Castletowers had
made his rush, Saxon, without any apparent
effort, bounded ahead, and again left his friend
some three yards behind.

Torrington, Greville, and Hay now dropped
out of the ranks, one by one, and gave up the
contest; leaving only Saxon and Castletowers,
Vaughan and Burgoyne, in the race. Presently
the two latter went down, but were on their
feet again in the twinkling of an eye, and
flying on as before.

At the fourth round, Castletowers brought
himself up abreast with Saxon. At the fifth,
Burgoyne gave in, and Vaughan flagged
obviously; but Castletowers again dashed forward,
and again secured the lead.

A subdued murmur, that broke now and then
into a cheer, ran round the course.  Every eye
was riveted upon the runners.  Every head
turned as they turned, and was outstretched to
follow them.  The ladies rose on the platform,
and watched them through their glasses. There
were only three now — a white shirt, a pink
shirt, and a mauve; but white and pink divided
the suffrages of the lookers-on, and nobody
cared a straw for mauve.

Again the circuit was nearly completed, and
they were approaching the stand. The next
round would be the sixth and last. The interest
of the moment became intense.  The murmur
swelled again, and became a shout—hats were
waved, handkerchiefs fluttered —even Lady
Castletowers leaned forward with a glow of real
excitement on her face.

On they came—the Earl first, in his white
Jersey, pale as marble, breathing in short heavy