He assured me it would be impossible, the livery stable as well as his own being entirely empty.
"Such a thing don't happen here once in five years," said he to me.

"But the old codger who is dead, though a queer dick was a noted personage in these parts, and not a man, woman or child, who could find a horse, mule or donkey, but what availed himself of the privilege.

Even the doctor's spavined mare was pressed into service, though she halts on one leg and stops to get her breath half a dozen times in going up one short hill.
You will have to wait for the stage, sir." "But I am in a hurry," said I as I saw Mr.Blake enter.

"I have business in Melville tonight, and I would pay anything in reason to get there." But the landlord only shook his head; and drawing back with the air of an abused man, I took up my stand in the doorway where I could hear the same colloquy entered into with Mr.Blake, with the same unsatisfactory termination.

He did not take it quite as calmly as I did, though he was of too reserved a nature to display much emotion over anything.
The prospect of a long tedious evening spent in a country hotel seemed almost unendurable to him, but he finally succumbed to the force of circumstances, as indeed he seemed obliged to do, and partaking of such refreshment as the rather poorly managed hotel afforded, retired without ceremony to his room, from which he did not emerge again till next morning.