THE SILVER FOX 147 



on the subject, he had made up his mind to 

 treat her with respect. She rode on round 

 the top of the covert, and stationed herself 

 on its farther side ; Solomon stood like a 

 rock, with his brown roach back humped 

 against the cold mist. 



The hounds had been put in at the lower 

 end of the wood, and were working through 

 it, so far without result As before, when 

 Cahirdreen had been drawn, Danny-0 was 

 not to be found when the time came for him 

 to take the hounds through the covert, and 

 the master, on his grey horse, was riding up 

 a track in the heart of the wood, where the 

 mist had as yet scarcely made its way, and 

 the silence dwelt like a spirit. The horse 

 went ever more slowly among the slender 

 stems of the fir-trees, sharing in the lethargy 

 conveyed by the slack rein and the loose 

 leg of his rider, while the hounds were push- 

 ing well ahead through the briars and the 

 bracken, leaving Hugh behind. A straggler 

 or two passed him by, with a wary eye 

 on the whip, not realizing, as the house 



