584 FOX-EOUND, FOREST, AND VRAIRIE. 



length — of the woodland, emerging near the Bad by lodge-gate, 

 and racing for blood across the meadows towards Staverton. 

 As they dashed into a lane, Reynard flitted across the gateway 

 opposite. One young hound alone caught a view ; and, while 

 her comrades disentangled the twisted thread, coursed her game 

 in midfield. Three times she turned him, and three times he 

 swung his brush and doubled behind her — till he fairly beat her 

 to the hedge. For minutes then he was plainly discernible 

 making his way from field to field — the pack once more in 

 vociferous and combined pursuit. Despairing of the open, he 

 struggled round into the village (of Badby) — where from gar- 

 den after garden rang forth the view holloas that sounded his 

 knell. At length — and here our sympathies went up to poor 

 Reynard, and our nature for the moment was inclined, had it 

 been possible, to forsake its " brutal instincts '' — he jumped from 

 garden wall on to cottage roof, ran along the thatch of one till 

 he reached a higher, when finding, as he thought, an open earth, 

 popped headlong down a chimney — flourishing his white tipped 

 brush in triumphant farewell. But he had barely reached the 

 hearthstone before a strong hand gripped him by the flag he 

 had waved so defiantly. His sharp white teeth went promptly 

 into Lord Alfred Fitzroy's leg — a substantial top of dainty hue 

 only just sufficing to make the fangs harmless. A moment more 

 and he was flung from the door — to fight out the life for which 

 he had struggled so gamely. 



An hour and twenty minutes the time — the last forty excel- 

 lent — and the point of an S-shaped run fully seven miles. And 

 he the eighth fox in four days. 



THE END. 



f 



BRADBURY, AGNRW, & CO. LIMD., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARV 



