in two days is nothing to boast of,
besides two hares. Ah, Lanty--you here; how goes it?"

"Purty well, as times go, Mr. Mark," said the horse-dealer, affecting
a degree of deference he would not have deemed necessary had they been
alone. "I'm glad to see you back again."

"Why--what old broken-down devils have you now got on hand to pass off
upon us? It's fellows like you destroy the sport of the country. You
carry away every good horse to be found, and cover the country with
spavined, wind-galled brutes, not fit for the kennel."

"That's it, Mark--give him a canter, lad," cried the old man, joyfully.

"I know what you are at well enough," resumed the youth, encouraged by
these tokens of approval; "you want that grey mare of mine. You have
some fine English officer ready to give you an hundred and fifty, or,
may be, two hundred guineas, for her, the moment you bring her over to
England."

"May I never--

"That's the trade you drive. Nothing too bad for us--nothing too good
for them."

"See now, Mr. Mark, I hope I may never------"

"Well, Lanty, one word for all; I'd rather send a bullet through her
skull this minute, than let you have her for one of your fine English
patrons."

"Won't you let me speak a word at all," interposed the horse-dealer, in
an accent half imploring, half deprecating. "If I buy the mare--and
it isn't for want of a sporting offer if I don't--she'll never go to
England--no--devil a step. She's for one in the country here beside you;
but I won't say more, and there now." At these words he drew a soiled
black leather pocket-book from the breast of his coat, and opening
it, displayed a thick roll of bank notes, tied with a piece of
string--"There now--there's sixty pounds in that bundle there--at least
I hope so, for I never counted it since I got it--take it for her or
leave it--just as you like; and may I never have luck with a beast,
but there's not a gentleman in the county would give the same money
for her." Here he dropped his voice to a whisper, and added, "Sure the
speedy cut is ten pounds off her price any day, between two brothers."

"What!" said the youth, as his brows met in passion, and his heightened
colour showed how his anger was raised.

"Well, well--it's no matter, there's my offer; and if I make a ten pound
note of her, sure it's all I live by; I wasn't born to an estate and a
fine property, like yourself."

These words, uttered in such a tone as to be inaudible to