226 WHIP AND SPUR. 



away for a long, quick burst over the fields, 

 which lay to the left of a farm-road down which 

 we were riding, and which was flanked by a high 

 and solid-looking hedge. Near the head of the 

 party was a well-mounted blonde of seventeen, 

 who had hitherto seemed to avoid the open coun- 

 try and to keep prudently near to her mother and 

 her groom. The sight of the splendid run, fast 

 leaving us behind, was too much for her, and she 

 turned straight for the hedge, clearing it with a 

 grander leap than I had seen taken that day, 

 and flying on over hedges and ditches in the 

 direct wake of the hounds. A young German 

 who followed her said, as we rode back to the 

 Haycock, "It is vort to come from America or 



from Owstria to see zat lofely Lady go over 



ze cowntry " ; and it was. 



Luck often favors the timid; Cock Robin and 

 I were quite alone — he disgusted, and I half 

 ashamed with my prudence — when the fox, who 

 had found straight running of no avail, came 

 swerving to the right over the crest of a distant 

 hill, closely followed by the hounds, and, in splen- 



