174 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



seems to an excited fancy — watching my horse's forelegs 

 striving to plant themselves, feeling the struggling quarters 

 seeking some help from below, seeing the scarlet nostril 

 laid level with the earth, the eager neck outstretched, the 

 panting muscles brought strongly into play — hearing the 

 anxious snort, dealing out abundant rein, and uttering 

 words of encouragement in the vain hope that the horse 

 may succeed in righting himself — conscious, nevertheless, 

 that he is sinking lower and lower, seeing then a friendly 

 hand outstretched to assist me, feeling the welcome grip of 

 it, clutching strongly at it as it drags me to the bank, 

 knowing that I have never let go the bridle during that 

 terrible moment of suspense, making use of it then to draw 

 my brave horse to a place of safety, looking down with a 

 shudder into the chasm from which we have both escaped, 

 and finally, with a laugh, and a LaiLs also, jumping merrily 

 into the saddle again, and scurrying away in the hope of 

 picking up the hounds. 



But there came an instance of misadventure which ended 

 less happily — when there was no strong hand to rescue or 

 help — when the awful backward crash occurred only too 

 surely, and oblivion followed, to be succeeded in time by a 

 consciousness that for ever and ever the sight of happy 

 hunting-fields, and the sound of huntsman's horn and 

 hounds' joyful opening-out were gone away, to be known 

 no more on earth. Such things are sad awakenings from 

 sweet fitful dreams. I pray that all my young readers may 

 be spared them ; and with more than one fate to warn, I 

 urge that discretion may at all times usurp the place of 



