nobody had reason to think that she ever regretted it.

Patience Longstaffe became in time Ma Woodburn, though she remained
Patience Longstaffe still.

Mat and his Ma had one daughter between them, known to all and sundry in
the racing world as Boy Woodburn.




CHAPTER II

Boy Shows Her Metal


The Polefax Meeting was small and friendly; never taken very seriously
by the fraternity, and left almost entirely to local talent. Old Mat
described it always as reg'lar old-fashioned. The countryside made of it
an annual holiday and flocked to the fields under Polefax Beacon to see
the horses and to enjoy Old Mat, who was the accepted centre-piece.

The Grand Stand was formed of Sussex wains drawn up end to end; and the
Paddock was just roped off.

Outside the ropes, at the foot of the huge green wave of the Downs, were
the merry-go-rounds, the cocoanut-shies and wagons of the gypsies; while
under a group of elms the carts and carriages of the local farmers and
gentry were drawn up.