'We imported Macbeth and Mr. Ferguson bought
him from me.'
"The young chap studies a minute.
"'I might as well tell you that I want a hunter to beat Macbeth for the
Melford Cup,' he says at last.
"'Oh, oh!' says Brown. 'That's too large an order, Mr. Van Voast--I
can't fill it.'
"'You don't think this mare can beat Macbeth?' says the young chap.
"'No, sir, I do not,' says Brown. 'Nor any other hunter I ever saw.
There might be something in England that would be up to it, but I don't
know what it would be--and money wouldn't buy it if I knew.'
"The young chap won't look at the mare no more, 'n' Brown tells me to put
her up. I hustles her back to the stall, 'n' goes down to the street
door 'n' waits. There's a big gray automobile at the curb, with six guns
stickin' out of her side in front--she looks like a battle-ship. Pretty
soon the young chap comes out 'n' starts to board her 'n' I braces him.
"'I think I know where you can get the hoss you're lookin' fur,' I says.
"He stares at me kind-a puzzled fur a minute.
"'Oh, yes, you are the man who brought the mare up-stairs,' he says.
'What leads you to believe you can find a hunter good enough to beat
Macbeth?'
"'I ain't said nothin' about a hunter,' I says. 'Would you stand fur a
ringer?'
"'I think I get your inference,' he says. 'Be a little more specific,
please.'
"'If I puts you hep to a hoss that ain't no more a hunter than that
automobile,' I says, 'but can run like the buzz-wagon 'n' jump like a
hunter--could you use him in your business?'
"'What sort of a horse would that be?' he says.
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