Confound me
for a fool! I might have known this would be the end of it.'
'Well, to tell you the truth,' said Bryce, 'after I'd bargained for
the horse, it did come into my head that he might be riding and
selling the horse without your knowledge, for I didn't believe it
was his own. I knew Master Dunsey was up to his tricks sometimes.
But where can he be gone? He's never been seen at Batherley. He
couldn't have been hurt, for he must have walked off.'
'Hurt?' said Godfrey, bitterly. 'He'll never be hurt- he's made
to hurt other people.'
'And so you did give him leave to sell the horse, eh?' said Bryce.
'Yes; I wanted to part with the horse- he was always a little too
hard in the mouth for me,' said Godfrey; his pride making him wince
under the idea that Bryce guessed the sale to be a matter of
necessity. 'I was going to see after him- I thought some mischief
had happened. I'll go back now,' he added, turning the horse's head,
and wishing he could get rid of Bryce; for he felt that the
long-dreaded crisis in his life was close upon him. 'You're coming
on to Raveloe, aren't you?'
'Well, no, not now,' said Bryce. 'I was coming round there, for I
had to go to Flitton, and I thought I might as well take you in my
way, and just let you know all I knew myself about the horse. I
suppose Master Dunsey didn't like to show himself till the ill news
had blown over a bit.
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