CHAPTER I. 



Mr. Goodbery is standing with his back to the fire, 

 the tails of his well-worn red coat thrown over his arms. 

 Above him hangs a portrait of Peter Goodbery, his 

 father, who lived in Foxley Grange before him and 

 hunted the Foxley Harriers to the day of his death. 

 The present Mr. Goodbery is one of the old school, and 

 the sporting instincts of the father have been inherited 

 by the son. It is natural, therefore, that it should be 

 our hero's favourite pursuit to follow the hounds. 



Mr. Goodbery is a stout gentleman of comfortable 

 means, and still more comfortable appearance. To be 

 exact, his income is ^2,500 per annum, derived chiefly 

 from land. He troubles himself little about business 

 matters, and has a dread of married life, as he has 

 seen so many of his companions, jolly good fellows 

 when single, become rather sober and thoughtful after 

 entering the lists ; consequently, he is rather apt to 

 shy off" the fair sex. Although he has been talked to 

 by his married friends and recommended to follow suit^ 

 he always thinks they are like the fox who lost his 

 brush, and so he means to keep clear himself. 



Foxley Grange is a charming place, with its many 

 gables and picturesque windows peeping out through 

 the ivy and westeria. The old house dates back to 

 early in the sixteenth century, and is built partly 

 of brick and stone — a roomy house with an old- 



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