160 The Trotter. 



life; but then all his matches had been in harness, and he had 

 been driven by his old master, who walked, as we have before said, 

 nearly fifteen stone. 



It was on a Tuesday morning that I left the Grange, and on the 

 following Monday Sam agreed to drive his wife over to dine and 

 spend the afternoon with one Mr. John Robson or as he was always 

 familiarly called, Jack Robson a sporting farmer, a very old friend 

 of his, who lived about six miles from him. It was clear to all 

 that Sam had become quite an altered man since he gave the 

 captain that unfortunate bill of sale. He was silent and reserved, 

 appeared to seek the company of his wife much more than he had 

 done for years past, and seemed to hang about her as if he had some 

 secret to disclose, but could hardly muster courage for the task. 

 Her woman's tact soon discovered this. All her old affection, 

 which had, as it were, gradually become blunted during so many 

 years of cold neglect and suffering, appeared to revive, and the last 

 week of that unhappy woman's life was a happier one than she had 

 known for years. What seemed strangest of all was that from the 

 day Sam made over his property, he never again either drove or 

 rode old Morgan Rattler. He would lean over the half-door of his 

 box for half an hour at a time talking to his old favourite, and 

 feeding him with bread or carrots ; beyond this the partnership 

 between the two seemed dissolved. But of course, as yet he was 

 apparently master over all, and took a horse whenever he wanted 

 one, and it was the gig-horse which he drove on this eventful day. 

 The day was clear and fine, the fresh air brought back some of the 

 colour to his wife's faded cheeks, and her eye once again beamed 

 with its old lustre, for ancient memories of happier days long since 

 buried in oblivion and forgotten, rushed upon her mind with their 

 full force, as she once again and for the last time sat by her 

 husband's side in that gig. As Jack Robson came out gallantly to 

 hand her out of the gig, he honestly declared that the squire ought 

 to be proud of her, for that she was looking as handsome as ever 

 she had done in her life. They spent a pleasant afternoon, and it 

 was late before they started for home. The weather had by this 



