Gentlemen Riders 



I could see her out ? But this elicited the reply, " You see her 

 off-leg is as big as a millpost, I wouldn't risk it for the world, 

 she was terribly injured at one of the fairs ; and I am afraid 

 she won't go out of the stable for some time." He must have 

 concluded that I could not take my eyes off the mare ; for he 

 said, " Now, did you or anybody else ever see as good-looking 

 a one as that ? " I was compelled to tell him that my objection 

 was that she was a great deal too good looking to be where 

 she was, if she were worth anything. 



I persisted in a prolonged cross-examination as to where 

 he bought her, whence she came, to whom she belonged, 

 and whether he would help me to find out anything about her ? 

 However, nothing was divulged ; and I had to be content 

 with his assurance that he knew no more than a new- 

 born babe about her ; that he chopped a colt for her and got 

 more than the worth of the colt, and that amounted to all that 

 he knew. 



Though I could not make up my mind to leave her, I refused 

 his tempting terms ; for I feared (as he was always moaning 

 about selling that good horse Bridegroom for a song) that 

 if she proved half as good as she looked, he would expect me 

 to give him a higher price than I could afford. I, therefore, 

 told him that he must fix the price ; and that I would not 

 take the mare out of his stable until I had paid for her. I 

 remember well that, before I could induce him to name a 

 price, I had to go into his house and carry on what threatened 

 to prove an abortive negotiation ; but the time was not wasted, 

 for a glass of grog had loosened his tongue, and he said, 

 "Well, to you the price shall be sixty-five pounds. Now, 

 don't get on her back for some time to come ! She has been 

 tenibly upset at these fairs, and she would make off for 

 certain ! " This warning probably averted a serious accident. 



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