The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-18

| never mind. sorry TO nave given you SO
much trouble May give your boy half
| crown!
"Now. - said Barker, cooking his head On
ore side and speaking in a confidential whis-
nor ',virnout saying word about the horses
have shown vcu, ten me what's your idea OF
a horse--his value. , can.
"rm not particular
"Oh, you're not particular. Jim, bring
,ut the chestnut
no. H said Frank, 'never mind. l don't
want To see him. | want you TO choose
lor,e for me.
No doubt horse dealers are as honest as
,tEer dealers, but Mr.. Barker's establishment
vas irae.er.baale. 1t might have @en that
4 acuuyigted forger given blank check
and asked TO take care Of it, or that of a
wolf to whom a sheep brought its lamb
and begged that it might be looked after for
= while. or that Of cat asked 10 stand SEN
lne over the cream.
Yet he was equal to the occasion. WANT
me 10 choose a horse. Can't do better, sir.
| Whenever the duke or the marquis wants
horse in hurry they write 10 ne TO send
them one. S'puse if | can suit the duke can
suit YOU
81 don't know. I'm fldgety. You can
try
SIN Barker could not feel certain whether
he WAS dealing with sharp Ian or a
! fool.
"Thero's the chestnut spoke Of, He's the
very thing for YOU
Glow mu,h.' said Frank laconically.
some hundred and twenty gu.ueas . said
/ Mr.. Laraer with tina. emphasis On the last
word which says That the vendor is proof
against the same number If pounds.
/ "Lu.l hara,' sad Frank, sharply, You
| find me horse for six weeks. Id9u'J care if
! It's black, brown, or blue. Name the lowest
/ price You mean TO take, and il the price suits
me a2I bug it and don't find any particular
/ vice, I'll give you twenty per cent. more, and
| the horse to resell for ma at the end Of that
! time. Now then, is it the chestnut"
Barker made long pause; then, with an
assumption OF candor, said mo, sir, after
| that it isn't the chestnut. You come here:
| I'll show You what 1t is. ."
! Mr.. CauutAcrs never told any one the
exact price Iii, horse cost him, SO We viii not
| force ourselves into his secrets de left the
| repository, having settled that if q veterinary
surgeons certificate could accompany the
| dark bay horse just shown him il might be
sent TO HaZlewooi House that afternoon.
| Then he babe Mr.. Barker goudday and
strolled back to Oakbury.
Just before he reached Lakewood House he
was overta1cn by Beatrice AMI her cavalier.
! They rciuod up and spoke "A faw words
| Young Purton was in h.gA good LUmor, and
| delightfully."- condescendiag.
"Pity You don't ride, Mr.. Carruthers," he
said.
1T is pity. VIII you coach me' Re-
| vengc is sweet, You know
I'm bring my fathers Old horse round
some morning and give you lesson. dare
say you would soon pick it up"
you were always a kind-heared boy
said Frank gratefully. Miss C!au,on, dc
you think | could learn to ridei'
"You are too lazy, | fear
eyes; | suspect | am. | won't trouble
! you, Purton. GOod-by.'
The horses trottcd on, and Frank sauntered
| ba k to Lakewood House smiling Ilacidly.
In the afternoon, TO Miss ClausOn's supreme
! astOnishment, the new purchase arrived. She
and Frank were in the garden at the time
! The bay was placed in Mr.. Giles charge, and
| that parsonage, after inspecting it. rejoiceG
| for two reasons: the first, that Mr., Ban keI
! had not ''bested" Frank; the second, that
even il Frank had 'bested' Mr.. Barker, the
! horse must have cost pot of money, and al
whatever figure his, Williams, introduction
might be assessed, the backsheesh must be
worth having
II thought you didn't care for riding" said
! Beatrice
Il dou't--much.'
"Thcn why buy such horse"
because | should like to ride with you"
He gave her one of his quick glances
| Bea- rice turned away, asha med to feel that
! size was blushing. She was very cold and
reserved during the evening, yet the auda'
cioUs Young man chose to take it for granted
| that she would accept him for her cavalier
rice Purton superseded.
Horace having duly admired the horse and
shaken his head at the palpable extrava
ganCe made series Of elaborate rule-of
three calculations, and determined, IL three
horses ate a certain quantity Of certain
things In certain time, how fourth horse
would affect the quantity, the things and the
tire
Young Purton was too shy 20 offer his
escort ON the next morning--he feared lest
he might wear out his welcome. SO his ride
was n solitary one Judge his utter disgust
when, quietly trottng alsng, he encountered
Miss Clauson and Mr.. Carruthers, the latter
mounted On a steed the like to which Mr.
Purton had for years longed TO own, and
moreover, riding as if he knew all about it.
This sight was very bad for young Purton
Had he been poetical he might have com
pared himself to the eagle struck down by it,
own quill AS it was, he muttered, IA jolly
sell, by Jove" and after the unavoidable
greetings and Mr.. Carruthers' inevitable
bit of badinage, rode home in u disconsoatt
state.
CHAPTER XIII.
GASTRONOMIC AND EROTIC.