THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 51 



brown and furry, in the midst of the melee, and Will's " who- 

 hoop ! " proclaimed to all within a half-a-mile radius, that this 

 good fox had died. 



Tom Tribe was up and off his horse, hardly a moment 

 behind "Will. Then the Duke, whose good little horse 

 had fairly worn down Jack Dashwood's useful old screw, 

 arrived, and flinging the reins down on the chestnut's neck, 

 he let him refresh himself with a hearty good shake ; 

 after which, re-adjusting his eyeglass, the Duke turned in 

 his saddle to watch for the next comer. With nose nearly 

 touching the ground, our friend Jack's hireling came 

 blobbing along, hardly able to raise a canter ; he was only 

 just in advance of the lady, who proved to be Miss Comely ; 

 her horse was ' done to a turn.' Then three or four others 

 arrived, some five minutes later, in a cluster, and that 

 was all. 



A cloud of steam arose from the group of sweating, blowing 

 horses, as the obsequies were performed and the fox broken 

 up. With an elaborate bow, the Duke presented that coveted 

 trophy of the chase — the brush — to Miss Comely, who accepted 

 it with a most becoming blush. She had ridden the line 

 fairly and well, and thoroughly deserved the honour. But 

 what she valued still more, was the fact that the Duke had 

 addressed a few tender words to her at the moment of 

 presentation, in low tones, unheard by the rest of those 

 assembled there. For, be it known that Adela Comely 

 had ' views ' with regard to that fascinating nobleman, and 

 but for the untimely interference of Lord Gravity at a 

 critical stage of the proceedings during the last Eace Ball, 

 well — who knows what might have happened? But Lord 



E 2 



