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'FHE It^gT 



.. 0K JFflE ?IZ>FECS. 



Dr. Edward J. Tucker. 



Chapter V,* 



MR FARRINGTON LAYS DOWN THE LAW. 



As I dismounted at the lawyer's door, 

 he came out, and shook hands with me. 



" My dear boy," he said kindly, " this 

 wretched business has agitated you terri- 

 bly ; you are pale and as haggard as a 

 ghost, and you are trembling like a leaf." 



" That is because I nearly ran down 

 six children on Robert le Diable." 



" Is it possible." He looked at the 

 horse and said, " Allen, my boy, I be- 

 lieve Robert the Devil is broken at last, 

 and what is more he is ruined, for his 

 wind is broken." 



I turned anxiously to the animal, 

 and saw from his spiritless eyes, droop- 

 ing head, trembling limbs, and short, 

 quick gasps, it was indeed true. That 

 noble leap he had taken, for his life and 

 mine, had proven too much. 



" Lead him around to the veterinary 

 surgeon," said Mr. Farrington, "and re- 

 turn to my office. I wish to talk with 

 you." 



I did as directed, in the meantime 

 having the diagnosis of the lawyer con- 

 firmed. Robert's spirit, as well as his 

 wind, was broken, though he eventually 

 proved a valuable animal for some pur- 

 poses. 



*Continued from page 415. 



On entering the lawyer's office, he 

 pushed aside a mass of papers, bade me 

 be seated, and said, 



" You came to see me about the busi- 

 ness in connection with the farm, Allen ?" 



" Why, yes, sir ! " I replied, " I under- 

 stand you have been retained by my 

 father and brother ; and as you drew 

 up my mother's will, I came to hear what 

 you had to say before I engaged a 

 lawyer, for I am determined to fight 

 every inch of the ground." 



"Quite right, quite right, my boy," 

 he replied, smiling. " But I believe 

 there is no necessity of your so doing ; 

 you will hear nothing further from your 

 father or brother on the subject." 



" Would you mind telling me ail 

 about it, as I never before took any 

 interest in my mother's will ? " 



"Certainly," he replied. ''Twenty- 

 two years ago your grandfather died, leav- 

 ing your mother a small sum of money. 

 He was a physician, who objected to his 

 daughters marrying, owing to some 

 organic affection of the heart, which he 

 feared would result fatally if subjected 

 to any strong excitement. 



" Her father's death left her alone in 

 the world, and rather than endure the 

 lonely life she led, she married your 

 father, who was a fine, smart young 

 farmer, but penniless ; and who was 



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