The Merry Past 



its former mad speed, the consequences would in all 

 probability have proved fatal to both. As it was he 

 found some difficulty in pulling up to call out the 

 toll-keeper, who had no sooner opened the gate but 

 he placed his hand on the bridle of his horse and told 

 him in a gruff voice that he must detain him, for a 

 gentleman who had just ridden through had given him 

 strict charge that should a person answering his 

 description come in sight he was to be captured, 

 having committed felony. 



The scurvy trick, however, proved unsuccessful ; 

 an explanation of the real circumstances of the case, 

 bound in gold, soon appeased the toll-keeper, who 

 admitted that the gentleman who had previously 

 passed through the gate rode a beaten horse. Victory 

 now for the first time appeared certain, and keeping 

 on a good steady pace, the jubilant squire soon had 

 the pleasure of viewing his opponent, who with diffi- 

 culty sat on his panting and jaded steed. In the 

 hope of passing him without attracting notice, the 

 squire took to the turf which skirted the road ; but 

 although he might have deceived the man, the acute 

 instinct of the horse prevented him, for the moment 

 it heard the faint sounds of his horse's hoofs stealing 

 up on the soft turf, its spirited nature aroused it to 

 fresh vigour and its rider to renewed consciousness 

 of his danger. Perceiving further disguise useless, 

 the squire rode up to him, and imitating the ironical 

 tone of his previous challenge, asked in his turn, 

 " Well, my buck, any orders for town ? " " You 

 have not won yet," was the reply, and with desperate 



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