122 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



This naturally put us two fields behind, but we 

 could still just manage to see hounds, though unable 

 to make up the leeway lost. 



On arriving at Welby Osierbeds the pack were 

 skimming up the hill beyond, and looked like dusky 

 ghosts flitting on in the twilight. 



At the grass road above Welby village I made a 

 fatal error, and, unfortunately, persuaded my com- 

 panion to follow me. It was nearly dark, and 

 hounds had again got ahead of us, so that it seemed 

 best to try and cut them off at the Melton turnpike. 

 This would have worked out satisfactorily if the 

 fox had not reached the end of his tether ; but, as it 

 was, hounds killed him on the ironstone tramway 

 whilst we were ahead of them. Had we followed 

 them down the little lane which leads by Welby 

 church we should have seen the finish. Thus 

 ended the best run I have ever seen, the best scent, 

 and the stoutest fox. 



When Firr came up, " Ruby," ^ an old favourite, 

 met him with the mask in her mouth. 



The Quorn seem to have monopolized the lion's 

 share of sport this season, and they had another 

 good run on 27th December. The fox was found 

 in the Coplow, and after running by Baggrave 

 and South Croxton went straight away to Thurnby 

 station. This part of the run was very fast, and 

 over an excellent country. After this hounds ran 

 down the brookside into the suburbs of Leicester, 

 and killed their fox near the asylum. 



This must have been an extraordinary good 

 scenting week, for I see that on the Saturday the 

 Belvoir had a rattling fifty minutes over the best 



1 Ruby by Ranter — Garnish, 1883. 



