THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 227 



head is at his girths now, and Jack and Eonald are 

 watching each other Hke cats after mice. Jumping the third 

 fence from home, the proverbial ' sheet ' would have covered 

 Marmion, Sheldrake, Jill, Dorothy, and Jackdaw ; the live 

 race closely together to the next obstacle, over which Sheldrake 

 leads, Marmion landing but a bare half-length behind him, 

 and almost simultaneously with Dorothy ; but the last couple, 

 hugging each other a bit too closely, both come down, the 

 mare falling first, and Jackdaw landing on top of her, a 

 great shout going up from the Stand, to announce what has 

 happened ; then ensues the final set-to, as the three survivors 

 sweep along towards the last fence, each rider putting as much 

 jjressure on as he dares. Dorothy's rider is the first to pick 

 up his whip, and for a brief moment it suffices to keep her 

 in her place alongside the other two. Only for a moment, 

 however, and then she drops out of it, a beaten horse. 



" Sheldrake wins ! " " Marmion, Marmion ! " "The chest- 

 nut does it ! " "The bay wins ! " A very Babel of shouts salutes 

 the ears of the two riders as they come, almost abreast, at the 

 last fence. Eonny begins to feel that the ex-flatracer has the 

 foot of him — and a very bitter feeling it is, so greatly has he set 

 his heart upon winning this race — then, as he sees Jack, with 

 the triumph dawning in his face, take a slight steadier at 

 his horse, he mutters to himself, " I'll chance it ! " and rides 

 the gallant chestnut home as though the final fence was not 

 there at all. 



A dangerous experiment, Eonald Dennison, a dangerous 

 experiment — and more than one human life has been sacri- 

 ficed in trying it — but it answers all right to-day. Sheldrake 

 jumps at the same moment that, with his head loose, and 



q2 



