SULTAN. 47 



" I'm sorry to lose tlie old boy, Bess, but money is money. 

 He's the best hunter I ever rode, and he's won me a pot of 

 money racing. Do you remember the day I rode him in the 

 fifty minutes from Blow Wells to Temperton and you lamed 

 Bridget ? " 



" Shall I ever forget, Tom ? And now I must go in to 

 baby. Good-bye, Sultan, boy. May you be as happy in 

 your new home as you have been here," she added, patting 

 the glossy black neck, and the pretty brown eyes were very 

 bright when his velvety nose rubbed for the last time against 

 her cheek. 



Once more did Sultan distinguish himself, for he won the 

 House of Commons Point to Point Steeplechase for his 

 owner, who also saw many and many a good fox killed when 

 riding him to hounds. And then they made him a peer who 

 was peerless already, as Mrs. Waller puts it, for his owner 

 went up to " the other House/' and after some ten seasons, 

 during which he carried his master without one serious fall, 

 he retired on his laurels and died in the sunny paddocks at 

 his last home. 



