The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-15

"Who? like what, MarkY'
"Why, the Squire" i"
"What is the matter now2 Is he in
one of his mad fits? Has he done any
dumagew
''No. And that is the worst of it.
When he takes it into his head to wreck
a dinner service, or to play Aunt Sally
with the glass, do not 50 much mind,
so long as nobody is hurt Such amuSe-
ment calms him, and he always pays the
bill"
The speakers were Mark Hartbrook
and Jane, his wife, host and hostess of
the Whinridge Arms, Thornford. The
scene of their anxious interview, their
own small .snuggery behind the bar; the
time of it, an evening in April. The
Thornford Hunt meeting had taken
place that day, and it was now latter
dinner" with the stewards and their
friends in the principal room Of the
Whinridgc Arms.
Hartbrook had abundant cause for
anxiety. The Squire, of whom he and
his wife spoke, handsome Gustavus
Whinridge, of Thornford Hall, was their
landlord and Marks former master A
warm-hearted, generous-natured fellow,
imbued with old-world ideas of honor, he
was, unhappiIy for his personal peace
and the habitual comfort of those with
whom he was brought in contact, handi-
capped with hot head and spirit that
brooked not the least contradiction.
'He and young Dykely are flying at
oooL othor Ioppv, ond how the row will
end, | don't know"
"IVhat, the Captain% queried Mrs.
Hartbrook, with a look of alarm.
"Yes," replied mine host. "You know
there's been bad blood between the pair
ever since Mark got six months for poach-
ing on Dykely's land. Although the
Squire is a durable hand at preserving,
he never forgave him for prosecuting
that young scamp"
"What are they disputing aboutp'
"Why, the Hunt Cup"
"But if Dykely won, he beat nothing
from the Hall"
CHATS nothing to do with it. The
Squire means mischief tonight. Go itp'
continued he, apostrophizing a bell, which
shook above his head with unusual VIC
lence. 81 know whose hand is at the
other end of that wire. ! must go; if
| ANYBODY else faced him at this moment
something dreadful would happen"
Hereupon the bell was shaken with
augmented ferocity.
"All right. ! am coming, Gustayus
the terrible"
With which satirical observation Mark
Hartbrook vanished.
The scene in the dining-room as mine
host entered was literally one of admired
disorder Half dozen men were speak
ing at once, and two members of the
company were accentuating their remarks
by means of gestures that betokened
anger. One was the Squire, who had
risen his height, upward of six feet, and
was standing with his back to the uncer-
tain mirror at the Presidents end of the
table, confronting, with flushed face
and dangerous eyes, his opponent, Cap
tain Dykely, a thin-lipped, dark haired,
wiry man OF pallid complexion. The
voices could scarcely be said to mingle
Whinridges was at the top of the entire
discordant chorus of expostulation. He
turned as Hartbrook entered, and pass
ing one hand through his yet luxuriant
curIs, in color slightly grizzled auburn,
ne folded his arms across his chest and
said:
"Hartbrook, l want you"
II am al your service, Sir"
! "My friend''-a slightly sinister en-
phasis on the word friend-"my friend
Captain Dykely and myself have had a
dispute, and we want you to decide it,"
"If you can," interposed the Captain,
in voice and manner that less irrita.
BILE person than the Squire would have
deemed exasperating.
81 know he car, sir; and that ought tc
suffice. Now listen. You were on the
holm to-day, and you saw the race fol
the Cupw
81 did, sir"
every good. Now what do you know
about Fluefaker, Captain Dykely's horse
Is he not"
esquire! Squirrel protested severa
of the company.
"You are right, gentlemen. will no
put leading question. Well, Flue
faker?"
Is son of Agrimony and Fluff Die
nothing as a two-year-old Was beatel
when he was backed by the public, ant
won couple of plates when he wasn't
at three. Was bought out of a selling
race, and tried over hurdles at four
That is all / know. How he came to b
} qualified to run to-day for the Hunt Gu
is what | do not know"
"What did I say, gentlemen? Tha
this horse was not a genuine hunter
That having been out few times AM
e looked on, whereby he got that trumper,
e certificate from M. F. H., was not
e proper qualification; and / repeat m,
e words" Here Mr.. Whinridge brough
a his fist down upon the board with a de
, fiant vigor that made the glasses jingl
: again. "Why, gentlemen, at equa
weights this patched-up crock of leath
2 er-fapper would not have the least chanc
against an honest hunter over fair lin
$ of country"
r "He can be matched against anythin
! you have got in your stable, when an
! where you please" exclaimed Captai
t Dykely, by this time thoroughly rousec
"He can, can he?' almost shrieked tn
e Squire. "Then you are on. sir. Han
!; it, I'll run you for the Cup, and bac
y mine for hundredw
eyes," replied the Captain, with er
ergy. Catch weights. Name you
time"
# "Name my time? OF course I vii
+ My time, Captain Dykely, is to-nigb
s one hour after moonrise"
n Parbans the onIy nerson nreseut Wh