30 STABLE SECRETS. 



ease and recreation without any perceptible detriment to his 

 health. Independent as any horse could possibly be of either 

 the temporary or permanent condition of the weather, Sunshine 

 had gone well, stood still well, eaten well, and, for aught to 

 any appearance to the contrary, slept well. Without even a 

 suspicion of " a screw being loose," for a single moment of the 

 term, the best two-year-old out satisfied his friends and admirers 

 that he had "wintered well;" and more than that, on the 

 part and behalf of this select body, nothing more was either 

 required or expected. When Sunshine's "spring condition" 

 formed the subject of discourse, his "party" — the Northern 

 division — spoke in subdued whispers, exchanged looks signifi- 

 cant of being " up to a thing or two," thrust their hands to the 

 bottom of their breeches pockets to jingle loose cash together, 

 and, by way, perhaps, of a little musical variation, began to 

 whistle a few bars of popular airs very much out of tune. This 

 "party" — this Northern division — entertained a strong, not to 

 add forcible idea, that they were the privileged few in comparison 

 to numbers in undisturbed possession of "the secrets of the 

 stable." Whether they were so or not, the sequel may possibly 

 reveal. 



As a decided opposition, however, to these sanguine sup- 

 porters and firm believers in the powers and "spring condition" 

 of Sunshine, many shook their heads doubtingly, and in various 

 ways communicated a palpable mistrust of something or some- 

 body, or of relative causes operating between the two some- 

 bodies or somethings, possessing equal influence upon the result, 

 and seemed altogether anything but satisfied about that which 

 the " party " — the Northern division — appeared to regard with 

 an unlimited amount of confidence. 



" Is he meant 1 " that was the question. " Can he stay 1 " 

 that was another. " Will he be pulled out for the Two Thou' 

 or kept back for the Derby 1 " might be added as a third inter- 

 rogatory combining both general and local interest. " Is the 

 stable money on?" was asked in various dialects in which the 



