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Guy Livingstone; - or, 'Thorough' by George A. (George Alfred) Lawrence
page 67 of 307 (21%)
"You seem confident," I remarked to Livingstone, later in the evening. I
remember the peculiar expression of his face, though I did not then
understand it, as he answered gravely,

"Bella ought to be; for--she has laid long odds."

There was great excitement in the neighborhood when the match, and the
farmers' race to follow, became known. Half the county was assembled on
the appointed morning, an off-day with the Pytchley. Godfrey Parndon was
judge, and had picked the ground--a figure of 8, with 17 fences, large
but fair for the most part; the horses were to traverse it twice,
missing the brook (16 feet of clear water) the second time.

I wish they were not getting so rare, those purely country meetings,
where three wagons with an awning make the grant stand; where there are
no ring-men to force the betting and deafen you with their blatant
proffers--"to lay agin any thing in the race;" where the bold yeomen, in
full confidence that their favorite will not be "roped," back their
opinions manfully for crowns.

Livingstone's great local renown, and the reputation of the Axeine for
strength and speed (though no one knew how fast he _could_ go), made the
betting 5 to 4 on him; but takers were not wanting, calculating on the
horse's truly Satanic temper. Miss Bellasys, who, with her mother, had
arrived at Kerton the night before, laid half a point more--_not_ in
gloves--on the heavy-weight.

The bell for saddling rang, and the horses came out. The mare stripped
beautifully, as fine as a star--no wonder her mistress was proud of her;
and I think she had, to the full, as many admirers as the Axeine.
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