24 Phyllis and Ophell4 



her ears and slid over in excellent style, finishing the 

 gallop with a jump over a biggish made-up fence. 

 Osborne's good-natured face was slightly flushed, and 

 his dark eyes sparkled as he trotted back to w^here Dossie 

 stood. 



' Well, sir ? ' the trainer asked. 



' Yes, Mr. Dossie, I like her much. She seems sound 

 and good-tempered. What do you ask for her ? ' 



Then followed the arrangement of terms, the argu- 

 ments concerning which, as set forth by Dossie, need not 

 be quoted at length. Her performances were naturally 

 magnified; the races she had won were described in 

 flowing terms ; plausible excuses w^ere made for her 

 defeats. Osborne hated haggling, and made little demur 

 when the price was named. Three hundred pounds 

 down, fifty pounds more if the mare won the Eegimental 

 Challenge Cup, to win which was Osborne's object in 

 making the purchase. Meantime she w^as to stay and 

 be trained at the usual rate. Osborne, as he mounted 

 his hack and trotted along the road towards the Manor 

 House, some ten miles oft", where he was paying a duty 

 visit to a somewhat dull party of elderly relatives, was 

 perfectly well satisfied wdth his morning's work ; and 

 Dossie, who had picked up the mare for rather less than 

 a quarter of the sum he had received, was by no means 

 displeased with his share of the transaction. Osborne 

 wanted an animal that would have a good chance of 

 winning the Challenge Cup at the Aldersham meeting, 

 and his friend Lockhart had written to him to say that 

 Dossie might possibly have a likely horse. ' I hear he's 

 a shocking old thief, but he behaved well enough to 

 me, and you can take care of yourself. As you are so 

 near, you may as w^ell go over and say I told you of him. 



