Whereupon the Captain begged him to try, and hinted that he
did not know the country. In answer to which Hampton offered to bet
a five-pound note that young Jack Runce would say that the pace had
been slow. Jack was the son of the old farmer whom the Senator had
so disgusted, and was supposed to know what he was about on a
horse. But Glomax declined the bet saying that he did not care a --
for Jack Runce. He knew as much about pace as any farmer, or for
the matter of that any gentleman, in Ufford or Rufford, and the
pace for forty minutes had been very good. Nevertheless all the
party were convinced that the "thing" had been so slow that it had
not been worth riding to;--a conviction which is not uncommon with
gentlemen when they have missed a run. In all this discussion poor
Larry took no great part though he knew the country as well as any
one. Larry had not as yet got over the awe inspired by the lord in
his black coat.
Perhaps Larry's happiest moment in the evening was when Runciman
himself brought in the soup, for at that moment Lord Rufford put
his hand on his shoulder and desired him to sit down,--and Runciman
both heard and saw it. And at dinner, when the champagne had been
twice round, he became more comfortable. The conversation got upon
Goarly, and in reference to that matter he was quite at home.
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