Omaha daily bee., 1885-08-26

was beaten, ana breathed his equivalent to a
sigh as the last of his f~ive-and-thirty screws
was led back without having drawn n word
Of condemnation or commentator from his
visitor.
"Well, you're a hard one to please, sir,n
he said grimly,
"I wanted to see some horses" said Frank
listlessly-hipping the ash from his cigar.
cite.
'Ohr' said Barker, with a deep-drawn
breath. ''You-wanted to-see-some bosses.
did your It was only in moments of great
excitement that Mr.. Barker forgot himself
enough to call his wares 'hosses." He was a
well-to-do man with daughters who played
the piano. He knew that the proper pronun-
,iation of the word raised him above the level
Of grooms and stable boys. He had acquired
It with great difficulty, so its retention was
precious.
eyes, 1 did" said Frank, pleasantly; ''but
never mind. Sorry to nave given you SO
much trouble. May I give your boy half q
TownT'
"Now," said Barker, cooking his head on
one side and speaking in n confidential whis-
per, ''without saying a word about the horses
have shown you, tell me what's our idea Of
, horse-his value, l mean"
"rm not particular"
ooh, you're moo particular. Jim, bring
out the chestnut"
"No," said Frank, "never mind. I don't
want to see him. Iwant you to choose q
horse for me.r
No doubt horse. dealers are as honest as
other dealers, but Mr.. Barker's establishment
was indescribable. 1t might have been that
of a convicted forger given a blank check
and asked to take care Of it, or that Of O
wolf to whom a sheep brought its lamb
and begged that it might be looked after for
n while, or that of a cat asked to stand sem
tinel over the cream.
Yet he was equal to the occasion. "Want
me to choose a horse9 Can't do better, sir.
Whenever the duke or the marquis wants a
horse in a hurry they write to me to send
them one. S'pose if l can suit the duke 1 can
! suit you"
81 don't know. I'm fdgety. You can
try"
Still Barker could not feel certain whether
he was dealing with a sharp man or a
fool.
"There's the chestnut I spoke of. He's the
very thing for you"
Show muchF' said Frank la~conically.
"One hundred and twenty guineas, - said
Mr.. Barker with that emphasis on the last
word which says that the vendor is proof
against the same number Of pounds.
Look here" said Frank, sharply, ''you
find me a horse for six weeks. Idon't care if
it's black, brown, or blue. Name the lowest
price you mean to take, and if the price suits
me and l buy it and don't find any particular
vices Ill give you twenty per cent. more, and
the horse to resell for me at the end of that
time. Now then, is it the chestnutq'
Barker made a long pause; then, with an
assumption Of candor, said: "No, sir, after
that it isn't the chestnut. You come here:
I'll show you what it So
MI. CaTTuthers never told any one the
exact price his horse cost him, so we will not
force ourselves into his secrets. He left the
repository, having settled that if q veterinary
surgeons certificate could accompany the
dark bay horse just shown him it might be
sent to Hazlewood House that afternoon.
Then he babe Mr.. Barker good-day and
strolled back to Oakbury.
Just before he reached Lakewood Housed he
was overtaken by Beatrice and her cavalier.
They refined up and spoke a few words.
Young Purton was in high good fumor, and
delightfully."- condescending.
PITY you don't ride, Mr.. Carruthers, y he
said.
sit Isl pity. Will you coach me? Re.
venge is sweet, you know"
"rn bring my fathers old horse round
some morning and give you a lesson. | dare
say You would soon pick it up"
"You were always a kind-hearted bow
said Frank gratefully. "Miss Clauson, dc
you think I could learn to rider"
"You are too lazy, 1 fear"
eyes; L suspect L am. I won't trouble
you, Purton. Good-by."
The horses trotted on, and Frank sauntered
back to Hazlewood House smiling pIacidly.
In the afternoon, to Miss Clauson's supreme
establishment, the new purchase arrived. She
and Frank We're in the garden at the time.
The bay was placed in Mr.. Giles charge, and
that parsonage, after inspecting it, rejoiced
for two reasons: the first, that Mr.. Barker
had not ''bested" Frank; the second, thai
even if Frank had 'bested" Mr.. Barker, the
horse must have cost q pot of money, and at
whatever figure his, Williams, introduction
might be assessed, the backsheesh must bt
worth having.
II thought you didn't caro- for riding SAID
Beatrice.
II don't--much.n
eThen why buy such a borseT'
because L should like to ride with you"
He gave her one Of his quick glances
Beatrice turned away ashamed to feel that
she 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
Vtce PuTton superseded.
Horace having duly admired the horse and
shaken his head at the palpable extrava
gance, made a series of elaborate rule-of
three calculations, AMI determined, if three
horses ate o certain quantity Of certain
things in a certain time, how a fourth horst
would affect the quantity, the things and tn,
time.
Young Purton was too shy to offer hi
escort on the next m~orning-he feared lest
he might wear out his Welcome. So his rid,
was a solitary one. Judge his utter disgust
when, quietly trotting alsNg, he encountered
Miss Clauson and Mr.. Carrathers, 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 ell about it
This sight was very bad for young Purton
Had he been poetical he might nave com
pared himself to the eagle struck down by ii,
own quill. AS it was, he muttered, ga jolly
sell, by Jovel' and after the unavoidable |
greetings and Mr.. C~arruthers' inevitable
bit of badinage, rode home in O disconsolat
state. 1
CHAPTER XIII.