78 Hunting in the Golden Days. 



sampling their wines, for it is needless to say that one 

 and all of these conveyances are well freighted with 

 refreshments for their occupants and any chance friends 

 as well who may happen to be there. 



Winebold is saying to Miss Richmond, who is seated in 

 a brake, that on an occasion like this he feels he ought to 

 keep his stamina up, for he is shortly to undergo a great 

 trial of strength, and will need all his resources to be able 

 to cope with it. To which the young lady replies : " Mr. 

 Winebold, let me offer you a glass of sherry — papa's 

 Amontillado, you know, which you have tasted before." 

 It is needless to say Mr. Winebold thanks her for her 

 kindness, and says that he really feels quite faint, for 

 nothing has passed his lips that morning since he left 

 home. He then strolls off to have a chat with one or 

 two late arrivals, and, having joined them in drinking 

 success to himself, he thinks it about time to see to the 

 saddling of his mare. 



Mr. Oldwig has arrived, and looks pale but confident ; 

 and although he has been seen to disappear mysteriously 

 behind several carriages, and to re-appear wiping his 

 mouth, yet it is evident that he has a fixed determina- 

 tion not to take more than he can comfortably carry, as 

 he knows he will require within a very short time all his 

 nerve and judgment, perfectly free and untrammelled. 



A group of farm labourers are standing together as 

 Oldwig rides by, and one of them is heard to observe, in 

 no moderate tones, " as how 'e shouldn't care to take on 

 this 'ere job himself because he hev just walked from his 

 cottage to this 'ere place across the fields where, these 

 'ere gents are going to ride ; and the fences before you 

 come to the Drencher stream in the bottom has been 

 made up and is terrible big places, with ditches t'other 

 side big enough to bury a rigiment of soldiers in." 



