CHAPTER IV. 



NATURE S VINAIGRETTE. 



I HAVE often wondered, Count, what the dry gray 

 warts on the inside of each foreleg of the horse and 

 about the size of a silver dollar could be intended for. 

 They are the only spot on all his beautiful body that 

 could be called unsightly, and so I questioned an 

 owner and breeder of fine horses. 



"And what did he tell you?" 



He said that he had thought the osselets, for so 

 he called them, a sort of safety-valve through which 

 the blood was rid of its impurities. So when one of 

 his horses had " scratches" he peeled off the layers 

 as close as he could, and watched the results. When 

 the " scratches" went away he attributed the cure to 

 what he had done, but admitted that it may have 

 had no influence. He thought also that when the 

 horse rubs his nose against his legs he may be trying 

 to peel off the layers and thus get relief from some 

 little ailment. Is this your theory also, Count? 



"Ah, madam, that is a question that has been 

 asked over and over again by men of science, of 

 deep practical learning and observation, without dis- 

 covering any satisfactory reply. I have made experi- 

 ments, and have come to a conclusion that is bound 

 to meet with doubt, possibly scorn, from those who 



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