LORD MANNERS 79 



he would block the exit with his horse and remain 

 there sphinxUke until the situation was clear again. 



I hardly think he cared much about competing 

 with the hard riding crew in a fast burst, but he 

 was a fine horseman and ready to jump a big fence 

 when necessary. 



Perhaps what he enjoyed most was to act as 

 his own second whip, and by riding forward get a 

 view of a beaten fox. His brother, Mr. Ned Baird 

 — he may be a general now — was a first-class man 

 to hounds, a good rider, with nice hands. He was 

 one of the select few you could always be sure of 

 seeing in the first flight, and at that time was a 

 regular attendant at the meets in the Melton circle. 

 Leicestershire has not seen him for some years, and 

 I presume he has forsaken the hunting field. 



November appears to have been about the best 

 month of the season, and then sport shut down for 

 a time, but the Quorn had a very fast gallop from 

 King's Gorse on 21st December. 



Referring to my Field letter, which brings 

 back the scene as it was, I read, " Dig your spurs 

 in and hustle along if you want to see any of the 

 fun. There is a ravishing scent, and the Quorn 

 bitches are racing. Four or five smooth fields are 

 skimmed over, and the half-dozen who get the best 

 start jump into the road at Willoughby. A score 

 or so of good men are flitting along in the wake of 

 the pack. A bend to the right, and unless you are 

 quick over the next fence you will lose your place. 

 Monsieur is darting in and out of the small enclosures 

 like a will-o'-the-wisp, whilst a well-known man 

 between the flags is cutting out the work on a 

 grey." 



