"Yes, sir, name of Cobbe--Paul Cobbe. He comes from the Berkshire country,
he do, sir."

"But how is it that Rawlings has left? and who is that gentleman he was
with to-day?"

"What! haven't you heard!" exclaimed Tawney, as surprised at my ignorance
as if I had asked him the name of the reigning sovereign.

"I have not heard, which, seeing that I spent the greater part of the
summer at sea and returned only the other day, is perhaps not greatly to
be wondered at."

"Well, the gentleman as Rawlings has gone to and as he was with to-day is
Mr. Fortescue; him as has taken Kingscote."

Kingscote was a country-house of no extraordinary size, but with so large
a park and gardens, conservatories and stables so extensive as to render
its keeping up very costly; and the owner or mortgagee, I know not which,
had for several years been vainly trying to let it at a nominal rent.

"He must be rich, then. Kingscote will want a lot of keeping up."

"Rich is not the word, sir. He has more money than he knows what to do
with. Why, he has twenty horses now, and is building loose-boxes for ten
more, and he won't look at one under a hundred pounds. Rawlings has got a
fine place, he has that."

"I am surprised he should have left the kennels, though. He loses his
chance of ever becoming huntsman."

"He is as good as that now, sir. He had a present of fifty pounds to start
with, gets as many shillings a week and all found, and has the entire
management of the stables, and with a gentleman like Mr. Fortescue
there'll be some nice pickings."

"Very likely. But why does Mr. Fortescue want a pilot? He rides well, and
his horses seem to know their business."

"He won't have any as doesn't. Yes, he rides uncommon well for an aged
man, does Mr. Fortescue. I suppose he wants somebody to show him the way
and keep him from getting ridden over. It isn't nice to get ridden over
when you're getting into years."

"It isn't nice whether you are getting into years or not. But you cannot
call Mr. Fortescue an old man."

"You cannot call him a young 'un. He has a good many gray hairs, and them
puckers under his eyes hasn't come in a day. But he has a young heart, I
will say that for him. Did you see how he did that 'double' as pounded
half the field?"

"Yes, it was a very sporting jump. But who is Mr. Fortescue, and where
does he come from?"

"That is what nobody seems to know. Mr. Keyworth--he was at the kennels
only yesterday--asked me