120 HOUND AND HORN 



were riding away, I looked back and saw a tall figure 

 in white night-clothes and cap look from an upper 

 window and draw back behind a curtain. To Miss 

 Douglas I said, *' Did you see that ? Was it a 

 ghost ? " 



" Well, it must be old Mrs. Shaw ; only she's bed- 

 ridden and not allowed to move, being at the point 

 of death." 



The poor lady's death actually occurred a few days 

 after ; and meeting her husband later on, I apologised 

 for the disturbance we had created, and expressed 

 a hope that the unusual commotion and excitement 

 had not hastened. the end. 



*' Oh, it disna signify, sir," was his reply ; ** she 

 was lying and forbidden to rise ; but she wad ha* 

 dee'd ony wey ! " 



On one of these by-days we had the longest and 

 latest ride home I had had up till then. After run- 

 ning hard all day and putting two foxes to ground 

 in unassailable strongholds in the Newton-Denholm 

 country, late in the afternoon we moved away towards 

 Cavers to collect the three couples of hounds short. 

 We came on them running a fairly good line outside 

 the big Dene, and of course our pack of eleven 

 couple joined in and went away westwards. This 

 was nearer four than three o'clock, and we could 

 not keep with them owing to the bad riding. There 

 were snow-wreaths at the back of all the fences, 

 with some hard spots, and many of the gates were 

 still blocked. We crossed the Hawick and New- 

 castle road at High Tofts, and on by Kirkton Hill, 

 Adderstonlee, Adderstonshiels, and Cogsmill, then by 

 Berryfell to Stobs Bank, where we completely lost 



