Eve saw he was amused and it irritated her. She began to think he cared very little about her; this feeling hurt and caused her pain mingled with anger. Why was he so blind when others acknowledged her charms, sometimes made love to her; she had spurned them all for his sake and he neglected her. She felt reckless; a plunge might relieve the tension, cause excitement, make her forget these things. She turned to the Baron and said: "Will you execute a commission for me?" "With pleasure. Are you going to back my horse?" "Yes; put me five hundred on," she said. He thought it a large sum but made no remark except to say she might consider it done. "I will get the best price possible," he said, "and I hope he will win." "So do I," she replied. Alan overheard this; she intended he should, and when the Baron left he said: "You have backed the wrong horse this time; the Baron will not win." "I suppose you think I ought to have backed your horse because you are my next-door neighbor?" she answered sharply. He laughed. "Most of your friends are on Bandmaster." "Then I shall be able to chaff them when White Legs has won," she answered. "I say, old man, your horse is coming with a rattle in the betting; there's a pot of money going on," said Harry Morby. "Mine, no doubt," answered Alan. "I have sent out a late commission. I am anxious to win; it will take Miss Berkeley down a peg; she always pins her faith to the Baron's colors." "That's your fault," said Harry. "Why?" "Because you treat her with indifference and she doesn't deserve it." "I am not aware of doing so," said Alan. He would have resented this from anybody except Morby, who was a privileged person. Captain Morby did not pursue the subject further. "You can keep a secret, Alan?" he asked. "I'll try. You're a mysterious fellow, Harry." "It's about the regiment," he said. "We're to hold ourselves ready at a moment's notice--don't split--I might be court-martialled." "Whew!" whistled Alan. "This looks serious." "Bet you there's war before long; it's a bigger cert than Bandmaster," said Harry. "And I'm out of it." "You needn't be. Join us again. You'll easily get your commission; they'll want all the men they can get, especially officers." "If there is trouble I shall not be idle," said Alan. "I know that, old fellow; no need to tell me that." Something seemed to be in the air. There were many officers present and they were talking in groups of three or four. Judging by their faces it was not about racing; Alan noticed this and thought: "It's coming, the great upheaval; Fraser's man is right. By Jove, I'll hustle, as Braund would say, when things begin to move." The horses were going to the post and the June sun shone on the thirty bright jackets as they went past. The din in Tattersalls was deafening. In the crowded enclosure there was hardly room to move; eager backers jostled each other in their anxiety to get at the bookmakers.