266 HEROES AND HEROINES OF 



which Zoedone had rubbed her muzzle a moment 

 before, he asked the lad whether he had noticed 

 any bleeding from her mouth, and being answered 

 in the negative, made a further examination, 

 with the result that he discovered in the vicinity of 

 the nostril a minute puncture such as might have 

 been caused by a pin or a needle. 



With the warnings he had received fresh in his 

 mind's eye. Count Kinsky naturally had his mis- 

 givings. However, there was no help for it now, 

 and the next instant he was in the saddle and had 

 started on what proved to be the most uncom- 

 fortable ride he ever had in his life. 



Her rider's gloomy forebodings were not long 

 beino; realised, for Zoedone, who had moved down 

 in most listless fashion, on being sent at the 

 preliminary hurdle, jumped straight up in the air and 

 fell heavily the other side, severely shaking Count 

 Kinsky, who, however, pluckily remounted and 

 joined the rest at the post. The Duke of Portland, 

 who was standing close by, told her owner after- 

 wards that the mare's fore-legs were drawn up 

 under her, as if she were in great pain. 



When the Hag fell, Zoedone rolled about, as her 

 rider expressed it, like a drunken man, and but for 

 the knowledge that all his friends were on the mare 



