ASHGILL. 75 



a last canter, and walked away with the nice 

 springy action, for which she was so famous, up 

 to the Red House. She was sound enough in 

 her walk, but no sooner had Osborne got up than 

 he found something; was wronof. She went 

 decidedly lame in her trot, and when she was put 

 into a slow canter she went short and ^proppy.' 

 Osborne's feelings may be better imagined than 

 described, but he wisely made up his mind to 

 finish the gallop and get her quietly home and so 

 avoid the panic which was sure to ensue if it 

 came to the knowledge of the public that their 

 favourite was lame. There were very few people 

 about at the time, and he only noticed Mr. T. 

 Jennings, Junr., and Mr. Linton, who were out 

 with their strinsf. 



He cantered the mare steadily and pulled her 

 well round the bend, pulling her up gradually so 

 as to avoid as much as possible any strain upon 

 her forelegs. He at once dismounted, but could 

 see nothing wrong about her, so sent her to the 

 stable with a message to the blacksmith that 

 he was to be in attendance and await his arrival. 

 Curiously enough the mare walked sound after 

 her canter, and Osborne fancied that the fact of 

 her Qfoinsf rather lame would not ooze out. He 

 did not get very far up the road before he was 

 undeceived on this point, for he met Mat. Dawson, 

 who greeted him with " They say your mare's 

 lame. Jack ! I'm very sorry." 



