The Broad Highway

"Beverley!" repeated the other; "had he possessed any spirit he

would have blown his brains out, like a gentleman; as it was, he

preferred merely to disappear," and herewith the speaker shrugged

his shoulders, and drank off his glass with infinite relish and

gusto.

"And a--pretty filly, you say?"

"Oh, I believe you! Country bred, but devilish well-blooded--trust

Beverley for that."

"Egad, yes--Beverley had a true eye for beauty or breed, poor

dey-vil!" This expression of pity seemed to afford each of them

much subtle enjoyment. "Harking back to this--filly," said the

big man, checking his merriment, "how if she jibs, and cuts up

rough, kicks over the traces--devilish awkward, eh?"

His companion raised his foot and rested it carelessly, upon the

settle near by, and upon the heel of his slim riding-boot I saw a

particularly cruel-looking, long-necked spur.

"My dear Mostyn," said he, his nostrils working, "for such an

emergency there is nothing like a pair of good sharp 'persuaders,'"

here he tapped the spur lightly with the slender gold-mounted cane

he carried; "and I rather fancy I know just how and when to use

'em, Mostyn." And once again I saw the gleam of his big, white

teeth.

All this I heard as they lolled within a yard of me, manifesting

a lofty and contemptuous disregard for all save themselves,

waited upon most deferentially by the smiling fat fellow, and

stared at by the aged man with as much admiring awe as if they

had each been nothing less than a lord mayor of London at the

very least. But now they leaned their heads together and spoke

in lowered tones, but something in the leering eyes of the one,

and the smiling lips of the other, told me that it was not of

horses that they spoke.

"... Bring her to reason, by gad!" said the slighter of the two,

setting down his empty glass with a bang, "oh, trust me to know

their pretty, skittish ways, trust me to manage 'em; I've never

failed yet, by gad!"

"Curse me, that's true enough!" said the other, and here they

sank their voices again.

My ale being finished, I took up my staff, a heavy, knotted

affair, and turned to go. Now, as I did so, my foot, by

accident, came in contact with the gold-mounted cane I have

mentioned, and sent it clattering to the floor. I was on the

point of stooping for it, when a rough hand gripped my shoulder

from behind, twisting me savagely about, and I thus found myself

staring upon two rows of sharp, white teeth.