“HowhashegotonsinceIwasatFulham？“askedMr。Speedwell。
　　“First-rate，Sir!Itwasoneofhisbaddayswhenyousawhim。Hehasdonewondersinthelasteight-and-fortyhours。“
　　“Ishegoingtowintherace？“
　　PrivatelythedoctorhaddonewhatPerryhaddonebeforehim——hehadbackedGeoffrey’santagonist。Publiclyhewastruetohiscolors。HecastadisparaginglookatFleetwood——andansweredYes，withouttheslightesthesitation。
　　Atthatpoint，theconversationwassuspendedbyasuddenmovementintheinclosure。Therunnerswereontheirwaytothestarting-place。Themomentoftheracehadcome。
　　Shouldertoshoulder，thetwomenwaited——eachwithhisfoottouchingthemark。Thefiringofapistolgavethesignalforthestart。Attheinstantwhenthereportsoundedtheywereoff。
　　Fleetwoodatoncetookthelead，Delamaynfollowing，atfromtwotothreeyardsbehindhim。Inthatordertheyranthefirstround。thesecond，andthethird——bothreservingtheirstrength；
　　bothwatchedwithbreathlessinterestbyeverysoulintheplace。
　　Thetrainers，withtheircansintheirhands，ranbackwardandforwardoverthegrass，meetingtheirmenatcertainpoints，andeyingthemnarrowly，insilence。Theofficialpersonsstoodtogetherinagroup；theireyesfollowingtherunnersroundandroundwiththeclosestattention。Thetrainer’sdoctor，stillattachedtohisillustriouscolleague，offeredthenecessaryexplanationstoMr。Speedwellandhisfriend。
　　“Nothingmuchtoseeforthefirstmile，Sir，exceptthe’style’
　　ofthetwomen。“
　　“Youmeantheyarenotreallyexertingthemselvesyet？“
　　“No。Gettingtheirwind，andfeelingtheirlegs。Prettyrunner，Fleetwood——ifyounoticeSir？Getshislegsatriflebetterinfront，andhardlyliftshisheelsquitesohighasourman。Hisaction’sthebestofthetwo；Igrantthat。Butjustlook，astheycomeby，whichkeepsthestraightestline。There’swhereDelamaynhashim!It’sasteadier，stronger，truerpace；andyou’llseeittellwhenthey’rehalf-waythrough。“So，forthefirstthreerounds，thedoctorexpatiatedonthetwocontrasted“styles“——intermsmercifullyadaptedtothecomprehensionofpersonsunacquaintedwiththelanguageoftherunningring。
　　Atthefourthround——inotherwords，attheroundwhichcompletedthefirstmile，thefirstchangeintherelativepositionoftherunnersoccurred。Delamaynsuddenlydashedtothefront。
　　Fleetwoodsmiledastheotherpassedhim。Delamaynheldtheleadtilltheywerehalfwaythroughthefifthround——whenFleetwood，atahintfromhistrainer，forcedthepace。HelightlypassedDelamayninaninstant；andledagaintothecompletionofthesixthround。
　　Attheopeningoftheseventh，Delamaynforcedthepaceonhisside。Forafewmoments，theyranexactlyabreast。ThenDelamayndrewawayinchbyinch；andrecoveredthelead。Thefirstburstofapplauseledbythesouthrangout，asthebigmanbeatFleetwoodathisowntactics，andheadedhimatthecriticalmomentwhentheracewasnearlyhalfrun。
　　“ItbeginstolookasifDelamayn_was_goingtowin!“saidSirPatrick。
　　Thetrainer’sdoctorforgothimself。Infectedbytherisingexcitementofeverybodyabouthim，heletoutthetruth。
　　“Waitabit!“hesaid。“Fleetwoodhasgotdirectionstolethimpass——Fleetwoodiswaitingtoseewhathecando。“
　　“Cunning，yousee，SirPatrick，isoneoftheelementsinamanlysport，“saidMr。Speedwell，quietly。
　　Attheendoftheseventhround，Fleetwoodprovedthedoctortoberight。HeshotpastDelamaynlikeanarrowfromabow。Attheendoftheeightround，hewasleadingbytwoyards。Halftheracehadthenbeenrun。Time，tenminutesandthirty-threeseconds。
　　Towardtheendoftheninthround，thepaceslackenedalittle；
　　andDelamaynwasinfrontagain。Hekeptahead，untiltheopeningoftheeleventhround。Atthatpoint，Fleetwoodflunguponehandintheairwithagestureoftriumph；andboundedpastDelamaynwithashoutof“HoorayfortheNorth!“Theshoutwasechoedbythespectators。Inproportionastheexertionbegantotelluponthemen，sotheexcitementsteadilyroseamongthepeoplelookingatthem。
　　Atthetwelfthround，Fleetwoodwasleadingbysixyards。Criesoftriumphroseamongtheadherentsofthenorth，metbycounter-criesofdefiancefromthesouth。AtthenextturnDelamaynresolutelylessenedthedistancebetweenhisantagonistandhimself。Attheopeningofthefourteenthround，theywerecomingsidebyside。Afewyardsmore，andDelamaynwasinfrontagain，amidstaroarofapplausefromthewholepublicvoice。Yetafewyardsfurther，andFleetwoodnearedhim，passedhim，droppedbehindagain，ledagain，andwaspassedagainattheendoftheround。Theexcitementrosetoitshighestpitch，astherunners——gaspingforbreath；withdarkflushedfaces，andheavingbreasts——alternatelypassedandrepassedeachother。Oathswereheardnowaswellascheers。Womenturnedpaleandmensettheirteeth，asthelastroundbutonebegan。
　　Attheopeningofit，Delamaynwasstillinadvance。Beforesixyardsmorehadbeencovered，Fleetwoodbetrayedthepurposeofhisrunninginthepreviousround，andelectrifiedthewholeassembly，bydashingpasthisantagonist——forthefirsttimeintheraceatthetopofhisspeed。Everybodypresentcouldsee，now，thatDelamaynhadbeenallowedtoleadonsufferance——hadbeendextrouslydrawnontoputouthiswholepower——andhadthen，andnottillthen，beenseriouslydeprivedofthelead。Hemadeanothereffort，withadesperateresolutionthatrousedthepublicenthusiasmtofrenzy。Whilethevoiceswereroaring；whilethehatsandhandkerchiefswerewavingroundthecourse；whiletheactualeventoftheracewas，foronesuprememoment，stillindoubt——Mr。SpeedwellcaughtSirPatrickbythearm。
　　“Prepareyourself!“hewhispered。“It’sallover。“
　　Asthewordspassedhislips，Delamaynswervedonthepath。Histrainerdashedwateroverhim。Herallied，andrananothersteportwo——swervedagain——staggered——liftedhisarmtohismouthwithahoarsecryofrage——fastenedhisownteethinhisfleshlikeawildbeast——andfellsenselessonthecourse。
　　ABabelofsoundsarose。Thecriesofalarminsomeplaces，minglingwiththeshoutsoftriumphfromthebackersofFleetwoodinothers——astheirmanranlightlyontowinthenowuncontestedrace。Nottheinclosureonly，butthecourseitselfwasinvadedbythecrowd。Inthemidstofthetumultthefallenmanwasdrawnontothegrass——withMr。Speedwellandthetrainer’sdoctorinattendanceonhim。Attheterriblemomentwhenthesurgeonlaidhishandontheheart，Fleetwoodpassedthespot——apassagebeingforcedforhimthroughthepeoplebyhisfriendsandthepolice——runningthesixteenthandlastroundoftherace。
　　Hadthebeatenmanfaintedunderit，orhadhediedunderit？
　　Everybodywaited，withtheireyesrivetedonthesurgeon’shand。
　　Thesurgeonlookedupfromhim，andcalledforwatertothrowoverhisface，forbrandytoputintohismouth。Hewascomingtolifeagain——hehadsurvivedtherace。ThelastshoutofapplausewhichhailedFleetwood’svictoryrangoutastheyliftedhimfromthegroundtocarryhimtothepavilion。SirPatrickadmittedatMr。Speedwell’srequestwastheonestrangerallowedtopassthedoor。Atthemomentwhenhewasascendingthesteps，someonetouchedhisarm。ItwasCaptainNewenden。
　　“Dothedoctorsanswerforhislife？“askedthecaptain。“Ican’tgetmyniecetoleavethegroundtillsheissatisfiedofthat。“
　　Mr。Speedwellheardthequestionandrepliedtoitbrieflyfromthetopofthepavilionsteps。
　　“Forthepresent——yes，“hesaid。
　　Thecaptainthankedhim，anddisappeared。
　　Theyenteredthepavilion。ThenecessaryrestorativemeasuresweretakenunderMr。Speedwell’sdirections。Theretheconqueredathletelay：outwardlyaninertmassofstrength，formidabletolookat，eveninitsfall；inwardly，aweakercreature，inallthatconstitutesvitalforce，thantheflythatbuzzedonthewindow-pane。Byslowdegreestheflutteringlifecameback。Thesunwassetting；andtheeveninglightwasbeginningtofail。Mr。
　　SpeedwellbeckonedtoPerrytofollowhimintoanunoccupiedcorneroftheroom。
　　“Inhalfanhourorlesshewillbewellenoughtobetakenhome。
　　Wherearehisfriends？Hehasabrother——hasn’the？“
　　“Hisbrother’sinScotland，Sir。“
　　“Hisfather？“
　　Perryscratchedhishead。“FromallIhear，Sir，heandhisfatherdon’tagree。“
　　Mr。SpeedwellappliedtoSirPatrick。
　　“Doyouknowanythingofhisfamilyaffairs？“
　　“Verylittle。Ibelievewhatthemanhastoldyoutobethetruth。“
　　“Ishismotherliving？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Iwillwritetohermyself。Inthemeantime，somebodymusttakehimhome。Hehasplentyoffriendshere。Wherearethey？“
　　Helookedoutofthewindowashespoke。Athrongofpeoplehadgatheredroundthepavilion，waitingtohearthelatestnews。Mr。
　　SpeedwelldirectedPerrytogooutandsearchamongthemforanyfriendsofhisemployerwhomhemightknowbysight。Perryhesitated，andscratchedhisheadforthesecondtime。
　　“Whatareyouwaitingfor？“askedthesurgeon，sharply。“Youknowhisfriendsbysight，don’tyou？“
　　“Idon’tthinkIshallfindthemoutside，“saidPerry。
　　“Whynot？“
　　“Theybackedhimheavily，Sir——andtheyhavealllost。“