This other foot, the near fore-foot, was
examined by the groom, who declared himself to be so flurried by
the lameness of such a horse at such a time, that he hardly knew
what he saw or what he did not see. At any rate then in his
confusion he found no cause of lameness; but the horse was led
into the stable as lame as at tree. Here Tifto found the nail
inserted into the very cleft of the frog of the near fore-foot,
and so inserted that he could not extract it till the farrier
came. That the farrier had extracted the nail from the part of
the foot indicated was certainly a fact.
Then there was the nail. Only those who were most peculiarly
privileged were allowed to see the nail. But it was buzzed about
the racing quarters that the head of the nail,--and old rusty,
straight, and well-pointed nail,--bore on it the mark of a recent
hammer. In answer to this it was alleged that the blacksmith in
extracting the nail with his pincers, had of course operated on
its head, had removed certain particles of rust, and might easily
have given it the appearance of having been struck.
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