168 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



her neck, " I am quite vexed, and almost angry, with William 

 for entertaining such doubts of my constancy, and have told 

 him I never will agree to such humiliating terms. I am his 

 now and for ever, and your own dear sister, my beloved Con- 

 stance." 



And thus we will leave these two affectionate girls enjoying 

 their rapturous feelings of delight in the contemplation of that 

 nearer tie, which would soon bind them closer than ever to each 

 other. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



We must now look into the dining-room, where Conyers was 

 relating the events of the day. 



"We have had," said Bob, "very unsatisfactory work. 

 Found, of course, in Parkwood, directly, and went away fast 

 for about twenty minutes, when the hounds, coming to a check 

 in a large field stained by a flock of sheep, Charley seized upon 

 them instantly, and thought to make a display of his genius by 

 making a forward cast, taking it for granted the fox had gone 

 straight to the Holt ; but the fox, having changed his mind 

 and turned away short to the left for the furze hills, our run 

 was spoilt. Found again in the furze hills, a thorough good 

 traveller, who went straight through the Holt, and then faced 

 the open for Barton Court coverts, which he skirted, and held 

 on his course over the downs to Staunton village, where we were 

 at fault for the first time among some small enclosures. For 

 fifty minutes the pace had been first-rate, few being able to live 

 with the hounds ; and from a shepherd we heard the fox was 

 not half a mile before us, and no doubt lay down somewhere ; 

 but Charley, all eagerness, would not give them time, and again 

 made a forward cast through the A^illasje towards Staunton 

 Wood, still persisting (notwithstanding my remonstrances) in 

 holding the hounds a good mile in that direction. Whilst occu- 

 pied in this wild-goose chase, our hunted fox was viewed away 

 from a ditch, where the hounds first threw up, and met by 

 several of the heavy brigade in his way back to Barton Woods. 

 Halloaing and screaming were now the order of the day, in 

 which Charley took the lead, rattling, with the hounds full 

 gallop, back through the village ; but the fox had made good 

 liis retreat, and we soon had two or three fresh ones on foot, 



