“And how did Jaybird do to-day, Lewis?� asked Skelton; but before Lewis could answer, Bulstrode burst out:
“Jaybird go to perdition! Every time I think of him I remember that if the horse wins that race, Blair will be a ruined man. That is, he is more than half ruined already, but that will finish him.�
“I shall be sorry, but I can’t see how anybody but Blair can be held responsible,� answered Skelton calmly. “If a man who can’t afford it will follow horse racing, and if he will put up a scrub against a thoroughbred, why, there’s no stopping him; that man has an inbred folly that must bring him to ruin some time or other. I don’t think this race, or any race especially, will effect the result. Blair has a passion for gambling on the turf, and that will ruin any man.�
Lewis listened to this with a troubled face. Skelton’s eyes saw it, and he felt angry with Bulstrode for putting such things into the boy’s head. And besides, Lewis was only fifteen, and suppose his feelings should be worked upon to the extent that he should be guilty of the enormity of “pulling� the race? Skelton hastened to change the conversation.
The dinner was shorter than usual that night, and Lewis had to gulp down the last half of his glass of wine rather hurriedly. Skelton went off as usual to a corner of the square stone porch and smoked steadily. To his surprise, Bulstrode followed him and sat down on a bench. After a while Bulstrode began, argumentatively:
“I don’t see why you want to drive Blair to the wall.�
Skelton took his cigar from his lips, and was silent with astonishment. Bulstrode never presumed to force himself into Skelton’s private affairs that way.
“And,� continued Bulstrode, with his rich, beautiful voice full of tears, “he has that sweet and charming wife. Good God! Skelton, you must have a heart of stone!�
Skelton’s impulse was to pick up a chair and brain Bulstrode on the spot, but instead, he only said coldly:
“You have been drinking, Bulstrode. You can’t let a decanter pass you.�