HOW THE NEWS CAME 9 



continued Batters, after Bill had run his hand over 

 old " Royal's " tendons and pinched his suspensory 

 ligament, and had observed, *' He stands over a 

 bit more than I thought, and that flat foot doesn't 

 improve, and he is a bit impetuous in a cramped 

 country, is he not?" 



'* Put him away ! Rather not. Bill. There's some 

 three or four years' genuine work in him yet, and he 

 and I will never part." 



" The * Pearl ' here is another of the same, but faster, 

 and has the advantage of youth, though she's not so 

 careful where she puts her feet as I should like." 



"What's this, Master?" as we came to a little 

 thick dark-brown mare, with well-turned quarters, 

 muscular thighs, and good straight hocks. 



*' That's the ' Omega ' mare. Bill, only rising five 

 years old, active and clever as a kitten, but has 

 a litUe to learn yet, and has rather too much action 

 for a hunter." 



" Shae'll never dae ti keep," muttered Batters, as 

 he unbuckled the roller ; " she can lift her legs high 

 eneuch, but she sets them doon in the verra same 

 bit again." 



Billy could find no fault with the mare's shapes 

 when she was stripped ; but the evident anxiety of 

 Batters to cover her up again left little time for a 

 thorough examination, and when the rug and roller 

 were being adjusted I whispered to my companion 

 the explanation that the Oracle could not ride her, 

 and that she was not a favourite with him. 



^' Let's have one more look at the Irish mare," 

 said Billy. So we had her run out, and picked her 

 to pieces. 



