Hoof Beats 



Gently and as clear as the murmur of a moun- 

 tain stream. 



'*T-a-l-l-y — O!" this time farther off, and in 

 another tone, deep and long-drawn. 



I could hear Norman grinding his teeth in 

 some kind of mad excitement. Suddenly he 

 sprang up in the cart and swung the whip over 

 his head. 



"Tally-0!" he shouted. The whip fell hissing 

 across our horse's quarters and we raced down 

 the road swaying wildly. 



The moon did not reappear and the fields at 

 the side of the road were in pitchy darkness. But 

 we could hear. There was the faint interming- 

 ling patter-pat, patter-pat of two galloping 

 horses. 



"Gone away!" I cried huskily, and Mrs. Nor- 

 man tried to call. 



At Norman's gate we pulled up and went in. 

 Lightly down the wind came a bright laugh we 

 knew so well and a long-drawn view halloa. 



"They're huntin', huntin' still," cried Norman, 

 "and happy. You see there's nothing to be 

 afraid of, for those who ride straight like Alice and 

 Jim." 



Mrs. Norman was weeping softly, her head upon 

 her husband's shoulder. He put his arm about 

 her roughly and held her close. 

 168 



