144 The Trotter. 



" Why, you don't mean to say you're ever going to take the mare 

 over there, sir ! As sure as ever she gets to the Grange, they'll 

 either do you out of her, or else get a fair trial out of old Morgan. 

 I know what Sam meant when he asked if our mare was for sale. 

 No, sir, no ; take my advice, and ride the pony over, but leave the 

 mare at home. I should like to see her meet old Morgan dearly, 

 but not till the money's down." 



There was good sense in the man's advice, though not given very 

 respectfully, and I took it. 



Now, I had a great curiosity to see Mr. Sam West " at home," 

 for although, in common with every one in the neighbourhood, I 

 could not but know him, I was not intimately acquainted with him, 

 and had never once set my foot in Ashby Grange. I wanted to see 

 the old house of which I had heard so much -, I wanted to see his 

 wife 5 and, above all, I wanted to try if I could not get a match on 

 between old Morgan Rattler and my new mare. I was confident 

 now that she would take some beating. I must begin with her 

 somewhere, and why not as well with old Morgan as any other 

 horse ? If she was beaten by a horse whose name was in every one's 

 mouth, she would not be disgraced, for I was sure she would run 

 well up. 



I mentioned my project to the groom, and he approved of it. He 

 was certain old Morgan must be getting stale, and he felt quite con- 

 vinced that nobody would drive him but his master. So he ad- 

 vised me, if we did make a match, to be sure and have it at catch 

 weights, and to make it two-mile heats. As I rode off, he added, 

 " I shan't feel easy till you come back, for I know where you are 

 going. Keep your eye on the captain he's a bad 'un ; and be sure 

 and remember me very kindly to the missus." 



I reached the Grange about eleven j and when I first caught sight 

 of the old house through a long avenue of elms more than two cen- 

 turies old, I was not a bit surprised at all I had heard in praise of it. 

 There was something truly imposing about that venerable building, 

 seen from a little distance (for I was not near enough to detect the 

 ravages which the hand of neglect and time had committed), as it 



