will he take up the writ?' 'He will,' said I firmly.

'He must have a heavy book on the race.' 'Nearly a thousand pounds.'

'I'm sorry for it for his sake,' was the cool reply, 'for he'll lose his
money.'

'Indeed!' said I; 'I understand that you thought well of his horse, and
that with your riding----'

'Ay; but I won't ride for him.'

'You won't ride!--not on your own terms?'

'No; not even on my own terms. Don't be putting yourself into a passion,
Mr. Hinton--you've come down to a country where that never does any
good; we settle all our little matters here in a social, pleasant way
of our own. But, I repeat it, I won't ride for your friend; so you may
withdraw his horse as soon as you like; except,' added he, with a most
contemptuous sneer, 'you have a fancy for riding him yourself.'

Resolving that whatever course I should follow I would at least keep my
temper for the present, I assumed as much calmness as I could command,
and said--

'And what is there against O'Gradys horse?'

'A chestnut mare of Tom Molloy's, that can beat him over any country.
The rest are withdrawn; so that I'll have a "ride over" for my pains.'

'Then you ride for Mr. Molloy?' said I.

'You've guessed it,' replied he with a wink, as throwing his hat
carelessly on one side of his head he gave me an insolent nod and
lounged out of the room.

I need not say that my breakfast appetite was not improved by Mr.
Burke's visit; in fact, never was a man more embarrassed than I was.
Independent of the loss of his money, I knew how poor Phil would suffer
from the duplicity of the transaction; and in my sorrow for his sake I
could not help accusing myself of ill-management in the matter. Had
I been more conciliating or more blunt--had I bullied, or bid higher,
perhaps a different result might have followed. Alas! in all my
calculations, I knew little or nothing of him with whom I had to deal.
Puzzled and perplexed, uncertain how to act--now resolving on one
course, now deciding on the opposite, I paced my little room for above
an hour, the only conviction I could come to being the unhappy choice
that poor O'Grady had made when he selected me for his negotiator.

The town clock struck twelve. I remembered suddenly that was the hour
when the arrangements for the race were to be ratified; and without a
thought of what course I should pursue, what plan I should adopt, I took
my hat and sallied forth.

The main street of the little town was c