4 A Question of Bits 



* Lawford has set up an ironmonger's shop, and he's 

 carrymg samples in his horse's mouth,' someone else 

 says, pointing to the mare's head, where, in fact, a good 

 deal of metal is hanging. 



* Yes, but I charge ready money, so I can't serve you, 

 I'm afraid,' he replies to the last piece of mild chaff. 

 ' She bolted with me last week, as you say, but I'll take 

 care she doesn't do it this time. Halloo ! what's that ? ' 

 he continues, pointing to a field on the other side of the 

 road, over which a handsome chesnut mare is progressing 

 in a series of bucks and bounds. She is clearly in a 

 very bad temper. Something has ruffled her equanimity 

 — if she ever had any — and she is doing all she knows — 

 her knowledge in this direction being extensive — to get 

 rid of her rider, a groom who sits very tight and is not 

 much disturbed. 



'What a brute ! It's Chippenham's — there he is, in 

 that phaeton, with the old lady, his aunt. I wonder how 

 he likes the prospect of riding the chesnut ? ' a young 

 man on a steady-looking cob remarks. 



' It doesn't matter much to him. Now, he's a good 

 man, Lawford,' Oakley says ; but Lawford does not 

 answer. There is a good man, a very good man, in the 

 hunt, Lawford is known to think ; only his name is not 

 Chippenham. ' He went very straight on Tuesday, you'll 

 admit ? ' 



' He did. Quite straight — through a line of open 

 gates. Never turned away from one of them,' and the 

 pointed ends of his moustache emphasised his sneering 

 smile. 



' He did, and so did Charlton,' Oakley replies, naming 

 a famous steeplechase rider. ' He wasn't donkey enough 

 to jump when it wasn't necessary. He also went over 



