150 THE SILVER FOX 



him, cowing the conventions and disbeliefs 

 of ordinary life. At the same instant a 

 hound began to throw his tongue in the 

 covert, two or three more joined, and the 

 grey horse turned of himself to get back to 

 the path. As if through a dark atmosphere 

 of foreboding and doom Hugh heard the 

 whimpers strengthen to yells in all the wild 

 and animal and mundane delight of hunt- 

 ing; he moved mechanically on, while the 

 borders of existence became immeasurable 

 about him, and his unhappiness stretched 

 out into all futurity. There was a rustle in 

 the undergrowth near him, and a fox slipped 

 across the path and away among the trees 

 towards the fence that bounded the wood. 

 It was silver-grey, with black ears and paws, 

 its eyes as it glanced at Hugh were like 

 topazes, and seemed full of the cold lore of 

 unearthly things. The thrill went again 

 from Hugh's heart to his throat, and died 

 away in a sickly chill. 



" Damn it all ! " he broke out suddenly, 

 ** what am I afraid of ? I'm going to break 



