Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-02
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
BY HUGH CONWAY.

CtAI'I LEN All (CONTlNUED).
.'Well, you re hard one to please,
sir, he said, grimly.
Il wanted to see some hopseS," said
Frank listlessly-flipping the ash from his
cigarette.
''ohv' said Barker, with deep-drawn
breath. "You-wanted to-see-some
HOSES, did you?"
eyes, | dill, said Frank pleasantly;
''but never mine. Sorry to have given
you so much trouble. May give your
boy a half a CROWN"
NO" said Barker, cooking his head on
one side and speaking in confidential
whisper, without saying word about
the horses l have shown you, tell me
what's your idea of horse-his value 1
mean.
Pm not particular.
''Oh, you are not particular. Jim bring
out the chestnut.
NO." said Frank, ''never mind.
don't want to see him. want you to
choose horse for me-"
''Want Inc TO choose horse. Can't do
better sir. Whenever the duke or the
marquis wants horse in hurry they
write to me to send them one. S'pose If
can suit the duke, can suit you. "
~ don't know. Pm fidgety. You can
try"
Still Barker couldn't feel certain wheth-
er he was dealing with sharp man or a
fool.
There's the chestnut spoke Of He's
the very thing for you"
''How much?" sa d Frank laconically.
Zone hundred and twenty guinea s.
said Mr.. Barker, with that emphasis on
the last word which says that the vender
is proof against the same number OF
pounds.
Look here" said Frank sharply, 'you
find me horse for six weeks. j don t
care Ii it's black, brown or blue. Name
the lowest price you mean to take, and IL
the price suits me and buy IL ana don t
find any particular vices, I'll give you
twenty per cent more and the horse to
resell for me at the end of the time.
Now then, is it the chestnut
Barker made a 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 whit it is. "
He left the repository having settled
that IL veterinary surgeon certificate
could accompany the dark bay horse just
shown him it might be sent to Lakewood
House that afternoon. Then he babe Mr..
Barker good-day and strolled back to
Oakbury.
Just before he reached Lakewood
House he was overaken by Beatrice and
her cavalier. They e,ned up and spoke
few words. Young Purton was in high
good humor, and delightfully."- condescend-
ing.
"Pity you don't ride Mr.. Carruthers, "
he said.
at is pity. VIII you coach me? Re-
yenge is sweet, you know"
hrfn nv fat f.Ih
some morning and give you a lesson.
dare say you will soon pick it up
''Yo u were always a kind-hearted boy, -
said Frank gratefully. "Mss ClausOn do
you think could learn to ride?"
You are too lazy fear. -
Yes, | suspect am, | won't trouble
you, Purton. Good-by."
The horses trotted on, and Frank saun-
tered back to Lakewood House smiling
placidly.
In the afternoon, to Miss Clauson s
supreme establishment, the new purchase
arrived. She and Frank were in the gar
den at the time. The bay was place in
Mr.. Giles's charge, and that parsonage,
after inspecting it, rejoiced for two rea-
sons; the first, that Mr.. Barker had not
''bested'' Frank; the second, that even If
Frank had "bested' Mr.. Barker the
whatever figures his, Williams, intro
duction might be assessed, the backshish-
might be worth having.
II thought you didn't care for riding"
said Beatrice.
II don't much.
Then why buy such horse?"
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
Id and reserved during the evening, yet
the audacious yonng man chose to take 1t
for granted that she would accept him for
her cavalier vice Purton superseded.
Young Purton was too shy to offer his
escort on the next morning-he feared
lest he might wear out his welcome. So
his ride was a solitary one. Judge his
utter disgust when, quietly trotting along,
be 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 Il.
The sight was very bad for young Pur-
ton. Had he been poetical he might have
compared himself TO the eagle struck
by his own quill. AS it was, he muttered,
"A jolly sell, by Jovel', and after the un-
avoidable greetings and Mr.. Carruthers'
inevitable bit of bandiage, rode home In a
disconsolate state.
CHAPTER XIII.
GASTRONs MIC AND FROTIC