REPLENISHING THE STUD 53 



caused me a fall at a place he ought to have walked 

 over, and the consequence was three months on 

 my back. A season's steady riding and quiet 

 handling worked wonders, but the old impulsive- 

 ness was shown at times, and even with horsemen 

 a long way above the average there were times 

 when that horse was a handful. I think it would 

 have been better for me to have given a dealer a 

 good profit on that horse, if the dealer had got 

 him before he was spoiled by the farmer's man ; 

 " Glendale " doubtless thinks otherwise. 



I don't care to say anything more about myself, 

 but you, sir, know that I hunted with between 

 thirty and forty packs of hounds in my time, and 

 that I know a good deal about most of the countries 

 I have hunted in. I have perhaps during my 

 time done more for the farmer than " Glendale," 

 both with my pen and in other and more practical 

 ways, and no man sympathises with the tenant- 

 farmer in the difficulties with which he has to 

 contend more than I do, but that by no means 

 implies that I am to advise a man to buy from 

 a farmer what my " limited and narrow experi- 

 ence " teaches me will not suit him. I have 

 nothing more to add, except that I shall reply to 

 no further letters on this subject, and that I am 

 anxiously waiting to know where these good 

 hunters are. 



