THE MEET OF THE HOUNDS 117 



racing lists he'll put it down as my cousin Michael 

 French's — the one Mr Dashwood met — for Michael 

 runs horses in England every day in the week, 

 and his name's as well known as the Monument. 

 Faith, and it's a bright idea, for I'd get rid of all 

 this crew here at one sweep." 



Mr French went to the door, opened it, and called : 



"Norah!" 



" Yes, sir? " 



" Bring the whisky. But the only question is, 

 where could I take the horse? Faith, and I have 

 it! Todd Mead — he's a man you've never heard 

 of — has an old shanty down in Sligo. He uses it 

 for breeding polo ponies, and there's a hundred 

 square mile of heath that you could train a 

 dromedary on and not a soul to see. He Hves in 

 Dublin and keeps a manager there, and he'd give 

 me stabhng there, maybe, for nothing, for he has 

 more room than he v/ants. It's a big streeling 

 barn of a place." 



" You say the debt to Mr Lewis only comes due 

 a few weeks before the race? " 



" Yes." 



" Will he seize your things immediately the 

 debt is due, or might he give you a few weeks' 

 grace? " 



" Not an hour's. I borrowed the money, giving 

 him the house and Uve stock as security, and the 

 bit of land that's unmortgaged, and he'll clap a 

 man in as soon as ever he can after the money is 

 due." 



