116 CONFESSIONS OF A HORSE DEALER. 



On his way to the railway station, he called at an 

 hotel, and read in a morning paper an advertisment of 

 a brougham horse to he sold, and described as the pro- 

 perty of a medical gentleman, who could be referred to, 

 and, the address being in the same direction he was 

 going, after leaving the hotel, he took the opportunity 

 of dropping in to see it, thinking it was just possible to 

 pick up a bargain. 



" You have a brougham horse here for sale ?" said 

 he to the groom (who was a well-known horse-coper in 

 the garb of a groom). 



" Yessir," said Jimmey, the groom. 



Captain B . " Let me see him out." 



Jimmey. " Certainly, sir." 



The horse was brought out, and Jimmey expatiated on 

 his merits. The Captain was no judge, and although 

 many of the horse's infirmities were hidden by his con- 

 dition, yet any person who possessed the slightest par- 

 ticle of knowledge about horses might have seen that 

 he was a thorough screw. 



" Who does he belong to ?" inquired the Captain. 



" Doctor L , of St. John's Wood." 



Just at this moment, another character appeared on 

 the scene ; he was a respectable-looking, aged person, 

 wearing a black, clerical-cut coat, a broad-brimmed hat, 

 a respirator covering his mouth, and a gold-headed cane 

 in his hand. He walked slowly up the yard, stopping 

 now and then to cough, and entered the stable, without 

 the least noticing the Captain. He inquired of the 



