dgings in the evening was
quite in love with his prospects. It was well for him to have rid
himself of the burden of an inheritance which might perhaps not have
been his for the next five-and-twenty years. As he undressed himself
he considered whether it would be well for him at once to throw
himself at Mary Bonner's feet. There were two reasons for not doing
this quite immediately. He had been told by his lawyer that he ought
to wait for some form of assent or agreement from the Squire before
he took any important step as consequent upon the new arrangement
in regard to the property, and then Sir Thomas was still among the
electors at Percycross. He wished to do everything that was proper,
and would wait for the return of Sir Thomas. But he must do something
at once. To remain in his lodgings and at his club was not in accord
with that better path in life which he had chalked out for himself.

Of course he must go down to the Moonbeam. He had four horses there,
and must sell at least three of them. One hunter he intended to allow
himself. There were Brag, Banker, Buff, and Brewer; and he thought
that he would keep Brag. Brag was only six years old, and might last
him for the next seven years. In the meantime he could see a little
cub-hunting, and live at the Moonbeam for a week at any rate as
cheaply as he could in London. So he went down to the Moonbeam, and
put himself under the charge of Mr. Horsball.

And here he found himself in luck. Lieutenant Cox was there, and with
the lieutenant a certain Fred Pepper, who hunted habitually with the
B. and B. Lieutenant Cox had soon told his little tale. He had sold
out, and had promised his family that he would go to Australia. But
he intended to "take one more winter out of himself," as he phrased
it. He had made a bargain to that effect with his governor. His debts
had been paid, his commission had been sold, and he was to be shipped
for Queensland. But he was to have one more winter with the B. and B.
An open, good-humoured, shrewd youth was Lieutenant Cox, who suffered
nothing from false shame, and was intelligent enough to know that
life at the rate of L1,200 a year, with L400 to spend, must come to
an end. Fred Pepper was a young man of about forty-five, who had
hunted with the B. and B., and lived at the Moonbeam from a time
beyond which the memory of Mr. Horsball's present customers went not.
He was the father of the Moonbeam, Mr. Horsball himself having come
there