The Life of Fred Archer 187 
speaks well for Fred," said Mrs. Pratt, " because they are the 
two men he had most to do with — at least during his pro- 
fessional career — and he had never had an angry word with 
either of them." 
Miss Dawson is said by everyone who knew her to have 
been a pretty and very charming girl, and it looked as if 
Archer had nothing left to pray for. 
Early in the New Year Archer was married, and one of 
the first to congratulate him was his old vicar, who wrote : 
" I called at Andoversford on Tuesday last, hoping I might 
have seen you and offered you my congratulations and best 
wishes on the occasion of your approaching marriage. I 
found you had left the day before. I therefore write these 
few lines to say how sincerely I wish you every happiness. I 
have watched your career of wonderful success with great 
interest, and my hope is that you will retire from the saddle 
with all your honours upon you, and before your health has 
suffered." 
Prestbury is not next door to Andoversford, and the kindly 
vicar had taken a good deal of trouble in order that he might 
personally congratulate Archer. This kindness and interest 
literally followed Archer to his grave, and was never slackened 
when the clouds of religious persecution had darkened Prest- 
bury village and driven out this good man from his home 
and parish. 
Here, too, one notices the first note of fear and warning 
as to the possible results should Archer continue his suicidal 
policy of wasting. And this warning came, not from any of 
his racing patrons, but from the clergyman who confessed 
that he knew little or nothing about racing, and who only 
saw Archer as a rule in the hunting season, when he was not 
starving to any appreciable extent. 
Yet love is not always bhnd, nor was it in this instance, 
and one can call by no other name the brooding tenderness 
with which Archer's vicar watched over his young parishioner's 
