“Oh,” said Garrison slowly. “And who is this Garrison riding for now?”
“I don't know. I haven't followed him. It seems as if I heard there was some disagreement or other between him and Mr. Waterbury; over that Carter Handicap, I think. By the way, if you take an interest in horses, and Crimmins tells me you have an eye for class, you rascal, come out to the track with me to-morrow. I've got a filly which I think will give the colonel's Rogue a hard drive. You know, if the colonel enters for the next Carter, I intend to contest it with him—and win.” He chuckled.
“Then you don't know anything about this Garrison?” persisted Garrison slowly.
“Nothing more than I've said. He was a first-class boy in his time. A boy I'd like to have seen astride of Dixie. Such stars come up quickly and disappear as suddenly. The life's against them, unless they possess a hard head. But Mr. Waterbury, when he arrives, can, I dare say, give you all the information you wish. By the way,” he added, a twinkle in his eye, “what do you think of the colonel's other thoroughbred? I mean Miss Desha?”
Garrison felt the hot blood mounting to his face. “I—I—that is, I—I like her. Very much indeed.” He laughed awkwardly, his eyes on the parquet floor.
“I knew you would, boy. There's good blood in that girl—the best in the States. Perhaps a little odd, eh? But, remember, straight speech means a straight mind. You see, the families have always been all in all to each other; the colonel is a school-chum of mine—we're never out of school in this world—and my wife was a nursery-chum of Sue's mother—she was killed on the hunting-field ten years ago. Your aunt and I have always regarded the girl as our own. God somehow neglected to give us a chick—probably we would have neglected Him for it. We love children. So we've cottoned all the more to Sue.”
“I understand that Sue and I are intended for each other,” observed Garrison, a half-cynical smile at his lips.
“God bless my soul! How did you guess?”
“Why, she said so.”
Major Calvert chuckled. “God bless my soul again! That's Sue all over. She'd ask the devil himself for a glass of water if she was in the hot place, and insist upon having ice in it. 'Pon my soul she would. And what does she think of you? Likes you, eh?”