44 MEMOIR OF 



eye of the wind. " Hard lines on you, young 

 fellow, for I dare say you've cut lecture to 

 come here, and now, I fear, the hounds are 

 going to cut you." 



" I hope not. Sir Henry ; for that would be 

 the unkindest cut of all." 



" Never mind ! come again ; better luck next 

 time. I knew by the going of the near leader 

 that the road was getting harder and harder 

 every yard of the way. I've lately had him 

 nerved ; and when there's a touch of frost in 

 the ground he can't keep his secret a bit ; but 

 he's all right at other times." 



'' I can see nothing amiss. Sir Henry," replied 

 Russell, whose interest in that new operation, 

 which he now heard of for the first time, made 

 him forget for a moment the non-arrival of the 

 hounds ; "he looks, however, like a hunter all 

 over." 



" The cleverest horse across country I ever 

 owned," said the baronet, right pleased with the 

 observant remark. He then took up the fore- 

 leg of the leader, and drew Russell's attention 

 to the all but invisible marks of the operator's 

 skill, adding, " It's an ill wind that blows no 

 luck ; for he bids fair to be as good in harness 

 as out of it ; so I ought not to grumble." 



No man of that day, as Russell well knew, 

 could do more with a horse than Sir Henry 

 Peyton. In the saddle or on the box, he was 



