338 THE DUKE OF CLEVELAND. 



agreement as to the mode of payment — by Lord 

 William's desire. The bargain was completed, and 

 a cheque for the money received in due course ; and 

 thus ended, in the sale of Promised Land, one of the 

 luckiest deals I ever made, if his purchase may not be 

 considered the more fortunate of the two. 



I have given my reasons for selling him; but I 

 must say here that he was the soundest horse alive, 

 and showed that he was in form at the time by having 

 won me three races in succession that spring; and, 

 as if by way of contrast, after he was sold, he lost the 

 like number, without adding further to his previous 

 well-earned fame. But of Promised Land and his 

 j>erformances I shall have something more to say 

 later, in connection with the gentleman who was part 

 owner of the horse, Mr. Robinson. I have here only 

 related the incidents connected with his sale, and may 

 now go on to describe what happened in respect to 

 the mare that I took in part-payment for him. 



On my arrival at Epsom, after the horse had been 

 duly handed over to him, Sam Rogers gave me up 

 the mare, which, according to Lord William's orders, 

 would have run in the Oaks had he kept her, a race 

 she could not have lost had she been fit and started, 

 according to her running in the autumn. Then the 

 following little colloquy took place. 



' I suppose,' says Sam, addressing me, ' I suppose 

 "the Land" is lame, or you would not have sold 

 him.' 



