THE JSILVJEB FOX 155 



were pricked as gallantly as ever towards 

 his work. 



They had galloped perhaps three miles, 

 and were bending back again towards the 

 railway ; Hugh was nearer to his wife by a 

 hundred yards as he came with a heavy 

 drop into a lane up which the hounds were 

 running, and thundered up it in her wake, 

 neither knowing nor caring where he was. 

 The fact that they suddenly recrossed the 

 railway by a level crossing conveyed to him 

 no sense of locality. He was possessed by 

 the passion to let his wife see that he was 

 not afraid ; to leave her and her borrowed 

 horse behind ; and, having gained that 

 miserable joy, to be killed before her eyes. 

 He was as nearly mad as presentiment, 

 physical excitement, and the burning pain 

 of jealousy could make him, and the grey 

 horse was finding it out. 



With a heave and a scramble they were 

 out of the lane and over a bank ; it was 

 uphill now, in heather and rough ground, 

 and the grey was pufting audibly as he 



