Mary Grant Bruce

“ He wasn't getting on too fast—not that that troubled him overmuch, for as long as he had a decent horse to ride, and a pound or two to back it with, if necessary, Micky was all right. There wasn't a more popular fellow in the district than "Rags," as everyone called him. All the men swore by him, and all the women loved him, and, as for Rags, he loved them all alike. Even Mary Arnold had shown him extra attention, but to everyone's amazement he didn't seem a bit inclined to profit by it. ”

“ TRANSGRESSOR
By MARY GRANT BRUCE
PEOPLE are fond of saying nowadays that the day of the horse is passing, and that a time will come when the species will be as extinct as the mastodon and the brontosaurus. It may be so. One hears so much of motor-cars and motor-boats, and everyone talks of electric traction, and even flying machines are in the air; so that it may really be that some day the horse will have vanished from our streets, and will be seen principally in the Zoo, so far as cities are concerned. That, however, is for the youngsters to think about. ”

“ The Irish green was splashed and stained with blood as Rags rode back to weigh in, when at last he pulled The Transgressor up—they went half round the course again before he managed it, and Rags was pretty white and shaky—indeed, Dick Reid's arm was round him for the last hundred yards. ”

“ A good many thought hardly of her for it, especially the women, who said she didn't know what it meant to care for a man, and that she had no right to play with the two who cared for her. Some of us thought she fancied Reid's mare was really the best, and certainly she ought to have known, as her father had owned both horses. Very likely she found it hard to let Maybrick and his acres go without a pang, for, when all's said and done, Mary was a real sensible girl. There aren't many like her these times. ”

“ His farm was a poor little place, and he never did much good at it, so that this year he had only been able to keep one horse, a big grey brute that could both jump and gallop, but never by any chance would do either properly. Poor old. Rags didn't have much fun out of him. Sometimes the brute would begin a run well, and then stick him up at a little bit of a fence that he could have hopped over. Rags used to say that once he had done a stunning gallop after kangaroo, when he was alone, but no one ever believed it, the horse was such a nasty-tempered beast. ”

“ Rags asked.
"Oh, yes, I'll start her. I'll probably lay an information against Maybrick as well, but what's the use? That won't affect the race. I hardly think I've any chance of making it warm for the cur afterwards, for I don't expect anyone will take Harry's word against his." And Dick glanced scornfully at the sobbing, prostrate form. "Here, get up, curse you, and saddle the mare!" he said, and the boy came unwillingly to do his bidding. " If you'll excuse me a minute, Rags, I'll go and change," Dick went on. "Don't leave that hound alone with Countess, like a good chap." ”

“ Now, women are queer cattle. You never know when you have them. Maybrick reckoned he was at least ten points to the good when he heard Reid speak so roughly, but somehow Mary did not seem offended. She even smiled at Dick, as if she understood ”

“ The principal race was the Amateur Steeplechase, for a cup presented by Joe Arnold—it was about up to him to give a cup, seeing that nearly every hunter in the district passed through his hands. The horses entered had to be hunted throughout the season by their owners, and ridden by them in pink. ”