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"Tiad, sir, you win the

bet!" But Barnabas scarcely heard

"You've done it--you win; eleven and a half ain--"don't you hear, sir?--come off, before he breaks

your neck!"

But Barnabas only shook his head, and, dropping the stick, leaned

over and laid his hand upon that proud, defiant crest, a hand grown

suddenly gentle, and drew it down caressingly fro

nostril, once, twice, and spoke words in a soft tone, and so,

loosed the cruel grip upon the rein, and sat back--waiting But

Four-legs had becohtful; true, he still tossed his head

and pawed an impatient hoof, but that was htful No one had ever touched him so,

before--indeed blows had latterly been his portion--but this

Two-legs was different fro

voice--a voice to soothe ragged nerves--there it was again! And then

surely, the touch of this hand awoke died creatures had feared hiht be worse--the hand

that could be so gentle could be strong also; his entle of voice, was better

than--oh, well!