THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 177 



Comely (to whom she had been talkmg at the meet), the Duke 

 and Lady Lucy Silverton. 



" What a pity you can't mduce your people to let you 

 hunt, Miss Binkie, isn't it?" said Eonald. He was riding^ 

 his blood-like little grey this morning, and in his hands 

 this very cheap purchase looked as though he might have 

 cost as many pounds as Eonald had given shillings for 

 him. 



Penelope sighed. " They don't much like the idea of my 

 even coming out to the meets," she answered. 



Eonald sighed also. A bad sign this, when two young 

 people of opposite sexes take to conveying their sentiments, 

 to each other in sighs instead of words. 



" They'll let you come to our hunt steeplechases, though,, 

 won't they ? We are to have them rather earlier than usual,, 

 this year." 



" Oh, yes. Shall you be running anything there '? " 



"I shall enter Marmion for the Duke's Cup, and shall be 

 riding that big bay of Oakfield's in the Farmer's Plate. The 

 Duke always gives a cup, you know." 



And chatting thus, they passed through an open gate- 

 way into a field beside a wood, the first covert to be drawn 

 that day. 



In return for the hospitality she had received at The 

 Chase, Adela Comely, who knew how matters stood between 

 Eonald and Penelope, had contrived two or three meet- 

 ings between them, and had also intimated her desire that 

 her mother should call on Mrs. Binkie without delay. 

 Lady Comely had seen the necessity for this, and was only 

 waiting for a day convenient to herself — on which occasion 



H.H. N 



