Hoof Beats 



horse — bone, power and courage. Just look at 

 his eye. I'll bet you anything you like he could 

 carry my weight." But Fullerton only laughed 

 and shook his head. 



"He could have once, I dare say. In his day 

 he couldn't be beat over big or trappy country; 

 he's one of Torchlight's sons and a half-brother to 

 Prince Royal, you know ; but he's sixteen years old 

 and has bowed a tendon badly. He can't take a 

 step; he's dead lame." 



And the Marquis gritted his teeth maliciously 

 and took several steps, dead lame. He had sud- 

 denly made up his mind. He watched the two 

 men down the road until they had entirely passed 

 from sight, then he swung lightly about and quick- 

 ly gathering his speed popped over the pasture 

 fence, and then back again. The tendon was as 

 good as ever, and the fence a mere bagatelle. 



The next morning early as usual, old Ephram 

 led the Marquis down to the pasture and sent him 

 bucking and kicking into it with a hearty slap on 

 his quarter, then closed the gate upon him. There 

 was an air of suppressed excitement about the 

 Marquis this morning and every now and then he 

 would stand listening, his ears pointing attentively 

 forward, first toward the house and then toward 

 the broad sweeping country below and the distant 

 hills. At last he saw approaching, Fullerton in 

 20 



