Cinder Path Tales

156 CINDER-PATH TALES claimed that neitherwere of any useat their regular jumps, and that Dick'sextraordinary performance, for which I vouched again, while not likely to be repeated, was possible, and made Dick the better man for the choice. When the decisionwas finally made, about a week before thegames, I wrote Mrs. Fair­ fax a long letter, telling her thewhole truth, giving special emphasis to the earlymorning trial. I declared my only hope for Dick 's success (and that a faint one) was that the heat of acontest withmen of other colleges, and before acrowd, might wakehim up and get hima place. I did not see how he could win except by a miracle. I declared that I had kept my promise to her most faithfully, and that my disappointmentwas, if possible, greater thanher own. I received an answer promptly, which read as follows: THE OAKS, FAIRFAX Co., VA. DEAR SIR : I understand the conditions perfectly, but am still confident that Richard will win. He must win. Give him the enclosed note just before his last trial. On no account allow him to see it before, nor permit any considerable interval between the reading and Richard's last jump. Sincerely yours, MARGARET LEE FAIRFAX. To MR. WALTER BROWN.