#CJ  ,A ,?IEF

  ,MY NEW MA/] 0 AN UNM>RI$ MAN4 ,HE
LIV$ AT ,BA?1 & 0 M* 5GAG$ 9 BUSI;S4 ,8
DOCTOR ADVIS$ HM 6TAKE HORSE EX]CISE1 &=
? PURPOSE HE B"\ ME4 ,HE HIR$ A /A# A
%ORT 4T.E F 8 LODG+S1 & 5GAG$ A MAN "ND
,FIL*] Z GROOM4 ,MY MA/] KNEW V LL AB
HORSES1 B HE TR1T$ ME WELL1 & ,I %D H _H
A GD & EASY PLACE B = CIRCUM/.ES ( : HE
0 IGNORANT4 ,HE ORD]$ ! BE/ HAY ) PL5TY
( OATS1 CRU%$ B1NS1 & BRAN1 ) VET*ES1 OR
RYE GRASS1 Z ! MAN MI<T ?9K NE$;L4 ,I
HE>D ! MA/] GIVE ! ORD]1 S ,I KNEW "! 0
PL5TY ( GD FOOD1 & ,I ?"\ ,I 0 WELL (F4
  ,=A FEW "DS ALL W5T ON WELL4 ,I F.D T
MY GROOM "U/OOD 8 BUSI;S4 ,HE KEPT ! /A#
CL1N & AIRY1 & HE GROOM$ ME ?OR\<LY2 & 0
N"E O!RWISE ?AN G5TLE4 ,HE _H BE5 AN
HO/L] 9 "O (! GRT HOTELS 9 ,BA?4 ,HE _H
GIV5 T UP1 & N[ CULTIVAT$ FRUIT &
VEGETA#S =! M>KET1 & 8 WIFE BR$ & FATT5$
P\LTRY & RA2ITS = SALE4 ,AF A:ILE X
SEEM$ 6ME T MY OATS CAME V %ORT2 ,I _H !
B1NS1 B BRAN 0 MIX$ ) !M 9/1D ( OATS1 (
                ,A ,?IEF
: "! 7 V FEW2 C]TA9LY N M ?AN A QU>T] (
:AT "! %D H BE54 ,9 TWO OR ?REE WEEKS ?
2GAN 6TELL ^U MY /R5G? & _SS4 ,! GRASS
FOOD1 ?\< V GD1 0 N ! ?+ 6KEEP UP MY
3DI;N )\T CORN4 ,H["E1 ,I CD N -PLA91
NOR MAKE "KN MY WANTS4 ,S X W5T ON = AB
TWO MON?S2 & ,I WOND]$ T MY MA/] DID N
SEE T "S?+ 0 ! MATT]4 ,H["E1 "O AFN HE
RODE \ 96! C.TRY 6SEE A FR ( HIS1 A
G5TLEMAN F>M]1 :O LIV$ ON ! ROAD
6,WELLS4

,? G5TLEMAN _H A V QK EYE = HORSES2 & AF
  HE _H
WELCOM$ 8 FR HE SD1 CA/+ 8 EYE OV] ME3

  8,X SEEMS 6ME1 ,B>RY1 T YR HORSE DOES
N LOOK S WELL Z HE DID :5 Y F/ _H HM2
HAS HE BE5 WELL80
  8,YES1 ,I 2LIEVE S10 SD MY MA/]2 8B HE
IS N NE>LY S LIVELY Z HE WAS2 MY GROOM
TELLS ME T HORSES >E ALW DULL & W1K 9 !
AUTUMN1 & T ,I M/ EXPECT X40
  8,AUTUMN1 FI4LE/ICKS60 SD ! F>M]4
                ,A ,?IEF
8,:Y1 ? IS ONLY ,AUGU/2 &) YR LI<T "W &
GD FOOD HE "\ N 6G D[N L ?1 EV5 IF X 0
AUTUMN4 ,H[ D Y FE$ HM80

,MY MA/] TOLD HM4 ,! O!R %OOK 8 H1D
  SL[LY1
& 2GAN 6FEEL ME OV]4

  8,I C'T SAY :O EATS YR CORN1 MY DE>
FELL[1 B ,I AM M* MISTAK5 IF YR HORSE
GETS X4 ,H Y RI45 V FA/80
  8,NO1 V G5TLY40
  8,!N J PUT YR H& "H10 SD HE1 PASS+ 8
H& OV] MY NECK & %\LD]2 8HE IS Z W>M &
DAMP Z A HORSE J -E UP F GRASS4 ,I
ADVISE Y 6LOOK 96YR /A# A LL M4 ,I HATE
6BE SUSPICI\S1 &1 ?ANK H1V51 ,I H NO
CAUSE 6BE1 = ,I C TRU/ MY M51 PRES5T OR
ABS5T2 B "! >E M1N SC.DRELS1 WICK$ 5
6ROB A DUMB B1/ ( 8 FOOD4 ,Y M/ LOOK
96X40 ,& TURN+ 6HIS MAN1 :O _H -E 6TAKE
ME1 8,GIVE ? HORSE A "R GD FE$ ( BRUIS$
OATS1 & DON'T /9T HM40
  8,DUMB B1/S60 ,YES1 WE >E2 B IF ,I CD
                ,A ,?IEF
H SPOK5 ,I CD H TOLD MY MA/] ": 8 OATS
W5T TO4 ,MY GROOM US$ 6-E E MORN+ AB SIX
O'C1 &) HM A LL BOY1 :O ALW _H A COV]$
BASKET ) HM4 ,HE US$ 6G ) 8 "F 96! H>;S-
ROOM1 ": ! CORN 0 KEPT1 & ,I CD SEE !M1
:5 ! DOOR /OOD AJ>1 FILL A LL BAG ) OATS
\ (! B91 & !N HE US$ 6BE (F4
  ,FIVE OR SIX MORN+S AF ?1 J Z ! BOY _H
LEFT ! /A#1 ! DOOR 0 PU%$ OP51 &A
POLICEMAN WALK$ IN1 HOLD+ ! * TI<T 0!
>M2 ANO!R POLICEMAN FOLL[$1 & LOCK$ !
DOOR ON ! 9SIDE1 SAY+1 8,%[ ME ! PLACE
": YR "F KEEPS 8 RA2ITS' FOOD40
  ,! BOY LOOK$ V F"R5$ & 2GAN 6CRY2 B "!
0 NO ESCAPE1 & HE L$ ! WAY 6! CORN-B94
,"H ! POLICEMAN F.D ANO!R EMPTY BAG L T
: 0 F.D FULL ( OATS 9 ! BOY'S BASKET4
  ,FIL*] 0 CL1N+ MY FEET AT ! "T1 B !Y
SOON SAW HM1 & ?\< HE BLU/]$ A GD D1L !Y
WALK$ HM (F 6! 8LOCK-UP01 & 8 BOY ) HM4
,I HE>D AFW T ! BOY 0 N HELD 6BE GUILTY1
B ! MAN 0 S5T;ED 6PRISON = TWO MON?S4