1892] A HARD FRIDAY. 225 



Oassel and tlie Misses Lucy — wlioiu overyone was pleascnl to soo out with us 

 this week, and riding so keenly and well — were there also. Captain Allfroy 

 thought the l)Ost plan was to l)ring the hounds back to Radway, a task ho 

 successfully accomplished, though, as he pathetically remarked, " Wo had a 

 lot of trouble with that old black feller ! " I saw his Lordshi]) smiling under 

 his moustache at Sparkler being thus described. And now for time and 

 distance for one of the grandest runs of the century — about a nine-mile ])()int, 

 thirteen and a lialf as the hounds ran — from Bishop's Gorse to Pago's, and 

 done in an hour and thirteen minutes ; about forty minutes to Knoll End. 

 Having refreshed the inner man, and the lucky ones having got their second 

 liorses, we felt ready for anything ; nor did Kineton Gorse fail us with 

 another good fox. He came away as if for the hill, and hounds scarcely 

 settled to it at first, but he turned over King John's Road, not far from the 

 Holt, and, running one or two deep, very deej), ploughed fields, launched us 

 on to the steeplechase course, and away to the right of Hardwick field, and 

 up Herd Hill as hard as Ave could pelt ; so fast thej^ sped along, tliat some 

 hounds which got separated never caught the leaders till we reached 

 Pillerton New Covert, in about twenty-five minutes. Here I had to pause, 

 as I found I had cut the mare's leg, biit as they went down to the old covert, 

 and across the road into the belt, I expected every minute to hear the 

 " whoo-whoop." Suddenly everything came to an end, and, though Lord 

 Willoughby tried very hard, he could never recover his line. I fancy he 

 must have got in, or lain down, or, what is most likely, turned right l)ack 

 ahuost through the hounds ; for I heard of a fox afterwards which crossed 

 the Oxhill Road near the cottage, and seemed as if he was coming towards 

 Pillerton. It was as merry a little hunt as one would wish to ride in, and 

 finished up a grand day's sport. 



Shall I have time, and will yovi have space, Sir, however, to record an 

 almost better day on the Friday? It is wonderful how a good scent will 

 make good foxes, and the way in which they treated us to the Yale all this 

 week Avas something quite remarkable. Lord Willoughby was not out at 

 Kineton on Friday, February 26th, having to be away on business, and Jack 

 carried the horn; Avliile Mr. Yerney cnnie from Oxford for one day to take 

 command, leaving his arduous studies of the law for what is perhaps to him 

 a more congenial occupation. Everyone was glad to see him taking a 

 holiday, for we know that " Gaudet equis canibusque, et aprici gramine 

 campi." I was resting my aching head, or what I thought was my aching 

 head, when a message came, " Mr. 0. has sent his grey horse for you." 

 In half an hour I was in the saddle, but got a little late, and when I 

 reached the Brickyard I found that Kineton Holt was all there, as in the 

 days of old, and hounds were running fast towards me over Thistle Farm. 

 It was a mercy I didn't head the fox. I saAV in a moment there was a scent 

 again. We ran back into the Oakfields, and out at the soiith end, where there 

 were two lines; but Jack was very quick, and flung them forward to the 

 right-hand one, and away Ave Avent to tlie right over the little brook best pace 

 once more. We pointed straight for Upper Tysoe, then to the right past 

 Lower Tysoe and nearly to Oxhill Yillage, over a fine wild, hairy country. I 

 don't think I saAV a man, a sheep, or a cow the whole of the run. We got 

 into some difficulty by trying to open a gate (which is an impossibility in this 

 district), Avheu Ave should have jumped the fence at the side. Mr. Gordon 

 Wood was going Avell, " Dear Old Smith " was treating Oapt. Allfrey's 



Vol. II. Q 



