BY INVITATION 89 



at the bottom with eight and a half couple close 

 at him ; and the complexity of the situation was 

 apparent when I realised that the smaller portion 

 of the pack left behind were also in chase, and 

 running backward in the opposite direction. Shout- 

 ing to old Batters to go on with these and stop them, 

 hearing his fervent " Heeven help us, this is a queer 

 beginnin','' and catching a glimpse of the ^' Omega " 

 mare dancing on her hind-legs, her petrified rider 

 clasping her round the neck, I went off in pursuit. 

 The first fence was a high unswitched hedge with 

 a low rail in the corner under a tree — a place for 

 any hunter to pop over leisurely and temperately. 

 Not so my old '^chaser." He went at it full tilt, 

 and with a twist of his quarters flung himself over 

 with about a foot and a half to spare, crashing my 

 head into the branches, scratching my face, and 

 hooking my scarf round under my ear. Two more 

 fences, and then a big 120 acre park, across the 

 middle of which the little pack sped, revelling in a 

 scent that enabled them to carry a high head, and 

 race along screaming with joy, to my consternation 

 apparently making straight for the front door of 

 the mansion-house. A little mob of Highland bul- 

 locks, with wild looks, joined in the chase, carrying 

 their tails erect and galloping like thoroughbreds, and 

 momentarily checking hounds ; and whoops and yells 

 from the assembled field testified that the fox was in 

 view. 



Close under the stackyard and hinds' houses 

 hounds ran, a dogcart wheeling on the road and 

 some grooms with led horses being swept into the 

 chase, while the laird of Marchfield was heard shouting 



