“Have a glass of wine—some brandy?”
“No, no; no, no! I shall be better directly. There, did you ever see such a silly woman? That’s got the better of it. If I hadn’t let myself go then I believe I should have had a fit.”
“Ha! You quite frightened me. Now then, Hetty, old lady, what’s the matter?”
“That’s our old friend Hilt talking like himself again,” said the visitor, with a sigh of relief. “There, I’m better now, ready to take every obstacle that comes in my way. Hilt, old man, a horrible disaster.”
“Yes? Yes?” cried Sir Hilton, turning white, as if he already saw the shadow of what was to come.
“Your dear old mare.”
“Not dead?” cried Sir Hilton, wildly.
“No, no, no; but it’s as bad. She was to run for the cup to-day.”
“Yes, yes; I know.”
“Thought you had done thinking of such things.”