The Life of a Great Sportsman 



Before driving off, I caught sight of Maunsell in full hunting 

 togs as he came downstairs, stepping lightly as of old ; then, 

 taking his hat and gloves from the hall table, and his hunting- 

 crop from the rack, he was off to mount at the stable. To his 

 cheery " Come with me," I was glad to respond, and watched 

 him mount ; not a sign of stiffness there, I thought ; then, the 

 dog-cart being in waiting, Lady Yarborough got in, I mounted 

 beside her, off we drove and joined my brother on his way to 

 the meet. 



For some time he rode beside us, as our way lay through 

 fields with roads across them — short cuts to many places which 

 obtains in the county of Rutland — so I had the pleasure of 

 seeing my brother canter along beside us on his dainty 

 thoroughbred chestnut mare Isabel. Just the same perfect 

 seat ; the same understanding between his mount and himself ; 

 the same boyish laugh as he greeted one friend after another in 

 rapid succession. Then he disappeared, taking a shorter bridle 

 cut, and we drove on by the road. 



To drive with my sister-in-law has always been a great joy 

 to me, and I soon found out that she was as perfect a whip 

 as ever. The same light hand on the reins, which, combined 

 with firmness, gave such confidence not only to the horse or 

 horses she drove, but to the passenger seated beside her. 



It has been my lot not infrequently to sit beside women 

 who labour under the impression that they can drive, but 

 who have no more idea of handling the reins than a baby, 

 and a more uncomfortable position for their passenger can 

 hardly be imagined. Needless to say, this was far from being 

 the case with my sporting sister-in-law. No matter how difficult 

 the animals she sat behind, Lady Yarborough could always be 

 relied upon to handle them to perfection, and though it is 

 rather a rare thing for a man or woman to be equally qualified 



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