84 THE SILVER FOX 



with the feeling that every one except his 

 dog had found him out. His wife knew it, 

 Bunbury knew it, he writhed under their 

 tact when they avoided all discussion 

 of his part in the run that the Silver Fox 

 had given them ; he detected with agony 

 the consideration that prompted Lady 

 Susan's gallant efforts to talk on subjects 

 unconnected with horses. He could have 

 found it in his heart to swear at her and 

 tell her she need not take so much trouble ; 

 he would have liked to quarrel with Bun- 

 bury and show him which was the pluckier 

 man ; he dwelt on the thought with pitiful, 

 childish intensity, and drove his heel into 

 the gravel, half knowing himself to be 

 pitiful and childish. 



There are junctures in a life when defici- 

 ency of intellect may disastrously alter the 

 moral balance, and the smaller mind may 

 have need of supreme and heroic effort to 

 attain the philosophy or even the sanity 

 that are easy to stronger intelligences. All 

 Hugh's native good-feeling was not enough 



