TO AND FRO BENEATH SHUCKBURGH. 561 



threatened the Byfield region, before swinging rightward along 

 the brow for Prior's Marston. Men were dropping off at all 

 points, content with their good gallop — or having done as much 

 as they cared to, for their horses' sake. 



Lord Penrhyn, however, with Mr. E. and Mrs. Pennant, and 

 Lord Alfred Fitzroy, were far too much interested in the 

 chase to give in ; Smith was determined to kill his fox ; while 

 Mr. Milne, Mr. Orr Evving, and Mr. Church stuck to it "for the 

 fun of the thing " and for love of the sport. In Prior's Marston 

 Village their fox was dodging as if every moment were his last 

 — and as if at most he could only reach the little gorse on the 

 hillside. But, far from such case — Shuckburgh Hill again 

 caught his eye ; and, with hounds scarce a field behind, he 

 dared the valley once more. If his heart did not sink, I confess 

 mine did, and probably that of others, for Shuckburgh 's Vale is 

 no child's play, e'en at 12 o'clock noon. And it was now 4.30. 

 Mr. Milne was skimming ahead — all honour to him, in his first 

 red coat. He will remember this gallop when, like us, he is in 

 the sere and yellow leaf, and when all that remains of his four- 

 year-old shall be a silver mounted inkstand. The pace we could 

 just — but only just — attain : and fortunately the fences were 

 not wholly unkind. It was late in the day, though, young 

 gentleman, to attempt the big Shuckburgh double ! Not even a 

 noonday sun could have looked through that further hedge. 

 Welcome back, however — and forward, again, under the hillside 

 rightward — the ladies now running to kill, and each one striving 

 forward as if with the scent of blood in her nostrils. Mr. Mar- 

 tin's new gorse was entered and left by the same hedge-holes 

 as we made an hour ago, and then there dawned the first glad 

 glimpse of that finish that forms the happiest climax to a 

 gallop with foxhounds. Under the hedgeside stealing, a 

 struggling, bedraggled form — a fair prey, if you will, to the 

 fox-hunter's ferocity ! Ah reynard, you should be proud ! 

 Yours shall be a noble fate ! Another minute, and they shall 

 have you — the reward of toil, pluck and endurance, the prize 

 for whose attainment millions of money are yearly spent in Old 



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