SOME CURIOUS HORSES 253 



my great surprise, they said £40. This, of course, 

 choked me off at once, as I felt sure that at that 

 price there must be some very " loose screw." Ee- 

 f using all offers of her, I drove home. 



In a few days after this I had a letter from the 

 dealers begging me to have her, saying they would 

 distinctly warrant her in every way, and that she 

 would (of course) exactly suit me. I, however, 

 again declined her. 



A week or so after this I was told that a man 

 was at my stables and wanted to see me, and, on 

 going out, found that these dealers had actually 

 sent the mare over for me to try. Well, they 

 gave me a written warranty of the strongest kind, 

 engaging, amongst other things, either to give me 

 another horse or return the price if she did not 

 suit me ; and the end was I bought her. 



Well, I had her out the next day and tried her, 

 and found her as good as they said her to be — 

 rather too high action for a hack, but very showy 

 and perfect in harness ; did not seem to know 

 what shying meant ; a most beautiful light hunter, 

 and a very free goer. I thought I had found per- 

 fection, and everything went on well for more than 

 a week, until one day, when I had come back from 

 a drive, my groom sent in word to say that he 

 wanted to see me at the stables. On getting 



