70 A JACOBITE EXILE

“Have you any goods with you?”

“We shall take over but a bale or two of cloth as samples
of the goods we can supply; but beyond that we have but
little luggage, seeing that our stay may be a very short one.”

There was a little haggling for terms, as the two gentle-
men did not wish to appear eager to go; but the matter
was finally settled to the satisfaction of both parties. On
their return to the inn Mr. Jervoise took the host aside.
“We have business connected with our trade in cloth in
Sweden, where we hope to obtain a large contract. The
matter may occupy us a week, or a month or two for aught
we know, and we do not want our horses to be eating their
heads off here while we are away. Besides, we may be able
on our return to take a passage to one of the Devonshire
ports, which would suit us much better, but we should not
be able to do so if there were need for returning here for our
horses. ‘Therefore, we would fain dispose of them, and if
you can find us a purchaser by to-morrow night we will pay
you a fair commission on the money we receive.”

“T doubt not that I can do that readily enough,” the
landlord said. “Three of them are fine animals, fit for any
gentleman’s riding; the other is a stout hackney. ‘Trust
me, I will get the best price I can for them.”

‘The next day he came up to their room. ‘TI have had a
good offer for the horses,” he said. ‘Iwo gentlemen who
arrived yesterday from France, and are staying at the inn of
a friend of mine, are requiring horses for themselves and
their servants, and I have promised my friend a slice of my
commission if he will bring them round hither. Will you
name your price for them?”

“No, I would rather not,” Mr. Jervoise said cautiously.
“Tf we asked too high a figure we might frighten the pur-
chasers away; if we should ask too little we should be the
losers. I daresay they have named to your friend the price
they are willing to give. You had better ask from them a