68 THE SILVER FOX 



whimper from a hound down at the lower 

 end of the covert ; Glasgow caught up his 

 reins and trotted away in the direction in 

 which Lady Susan was already moving. 

 This was not the moment for winding back 

 through the maze of Slaney's mood ; he 

 held the clue and could use it at his leisure. 

 Slaney detached herself from Dr. Hallahan, 

 and rode alone up the mountain road. The 

 hounds had drawn the gorse outside the 

 covert, and were slowly working up through 

 a wood of scrubby aboriginal oak trees, 

 woven together by a tangle of briars; 

 round the outskirts a band of young firs 

 and larches imparted an effect of amenity, 

 but the domain of the oaks had as im- 

 practicable an air as the curled and bossed 

 forehead of the mountain bull that was 

 shouting defiance from a neighbouring field. 

 Slaney moved slowly on and up till she 

 reached the top corner of the covert ; and 

 pausing there, the brown mare proceeded, 

 with her usual air of infinite leisure, to 

 crop the green spikes of a furze-bush. The 



