346 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



he had bought Rory O'More and was going to come out 

 to-day for the first time. ' Well,' said I to my wife this 

 morning, ' my patients must die or get well as best they 

 can to-day without me. I 'm going to see the fun.' So 

 I hung the slate on the door and started. Bankclerk sent 

 his horse on by a groom, and rode over with me. 'Was n't 

 it a fortunate occurrence that I happened to secure Rory 

 O'More?' said he. ' I am going to rename him Romeo, 

 after one of Shakespeare's characters; or would you call him 

 something else ? I lay awake half the night thinking up a 

 name.' ' Perhaps one will suggest itself somehow before 

 the day is over,' I replied ; and so it did. ' Is he sound ? ' 

 I asked. 



" ' Sound ! Why, the dealer said he had n't a pimple on 

 him.' 



"'And his wind?' 



" ' Well, I did say I thought he breathed rather hard, but 

 the dealer seemed very honest about it ; he said that 

 showed the strength of his lungs.' 



"'What did he say about his fencing?' 



" ' Well, you heard yourself what he said about how he 

 could jump. "Jump! He will jump anything," said he, 

 "that I would ever ask him to." Of course I don't expect,' 

 added Bankclerk, 'that I shall take any such jumps as the 

 dealer did until I am a little more accustomed to riding. 

 However, you can understand I did n't want a green horse 

 to begin with, and I hope to learn some things from Rory. 

 The dealer said I surely would, as the horse knew it all.' 



" ' How did the dealer say he happened to be able to sell 

 such a remarkable horse so cheap ? ' I inquired. 



