288 In Scarlet and Silk 



friend, so trying to appear cool, you say, 

 " a hundred and twenty." 



Stubbins evidently doesn't like being 

 " raised " that way. He casts a glance of 

 envy at the horse, reserving the " hatred 

 and malice" part of it for you. Then with 

 a defiant gulp he cries out — 



'' A hundred and thirty." 



" Forty," and you look your enemy coolly 

 in the face as you say it. 



That settles him. He walks away, evidently 

 longing for your blood. After all, it is a cheap 

 horse ; true, you haven't had the opportunity 

 of " laying a leg" across him, but if you had 

 bought him in any other way, perhaps you 

 would have had to pay an extra fifty for the 

 privilege. Besides which, you have enjoyed 

 the satisfaction of "scoring off"" Stubbins, 

 and that's really dirt cheap at a tenner or so ! 



Both of these ways are pleasant ones for 

 getting hold of the " materials of war," and 

 another is to buy well-known performers in 

 the field; but then, of course, you must be 

 prepared to go, on occasions, to four or 



