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275 colt to offer the public for a consideration. It was brown, and had no spots, though it possessed the luxury of a half brother with a record of 2.23; warranted sound. I smiled at the tailor who declared he would make any man a "nobby" suit of clothes for a mere song, and pitied the poor lady who wanted a loan to finish a new house. Poor thing! Why did she begin it, without sufficient money to see the building to its bitter end? I was genuinely interested.

The little clock upon the mantlepiece struck eleven o'clock. How late it was getting! I folded up the newspaper, and sat bolt upright in my chair. I looked at Arthur. His eyes, which seemed to shine like five coals, were fixed upon mine. I crimsoned, for no reason that I can think of.

"It is getting late," I said in a low tone, looking helplessly at the clock.

"Yes."

"We have cooped ourselves up too much to-day," I said, at random. "I wonder why we did not go out this afternoon; the weather was beautiful, and we—we—"