19 



PHYLLIS AND OPHELLi 



CHAPTER I 



The industry of horse training is much more widely 

 spread than would be imagined by those who are 

 accustomed to see a score or so of familar names in 

 sporting records. There are numbers of little men whose 

 fame for good or evil is merely local, half trainers, half 

 horse dealers, sometimes livery stable keepers as well, to 

 the extent, at least, of letting out a hunter or two in the 

 season. Such a one was James Dossie, of the Common 

 Farm, Downleigh, who on a certain November morning 

 a year or two since was strolling to and fro before the 

 gates of his stable-yard as if waiting for somebody. 



' " Good enough to win a little race," ' he muttered 

 to himself, glancing at a letter which he held in his 

 hand. ' Yes ! I think we can manage that. Thomas ! ' 

 he called out, and from the saddle-room a neat-looking 

 light-weight groom appeared. ' How's the grey horse ? ' 



' Oh, he's fining down. He'll get right enough till 

 he's put into strong work again, and then he'll go,' 

 Thomas answered, in a careless offhand manner, which 

 showed that the relations of master and servant were on 

 anything but a formal footing. 



' Take his bandages off. There's someone coming to 



