26 TALES OF PINK AND SILK. 



in fifteen short minutes. It was like steeplecliasing all the 

 way, and those who got off well kept their lead to the finish. 

 Foremost in the rush, and next to the master, who had got 

 well away with his hounds, was " Tony " Toynbee, on the rat- 

 tailed bay, while on his right lay Captain Gordon and the 

 chestnut-haired " horse-breaker" on a beautiful thoroughbred 

 chestnut mare. Behind still, straining every nerve to catch 

 the couple in front, as Maunsell could see from his place a bit 

 further back, came the two Miss Styles, with half a score of 

 red coats and brown-collared habits next in order. 



" Who-whoop ! " cries the Master, as he sees the hounds 

 run into their fox, and he and Miss Cuthbert jump the last 

 fence side b}^ side. " Glorious burst, was it not, Miss 

 Cuthbert ? Bit too fast for those two, though," he mutters, 

 as he swings out of the saddle. 



The final obsequies of poor Reynard are soon performed. 

 Mr. BuUer presents Miss Cuthbert with the brush, and then, 

 as hounds move to draw again. Captain Gordon rides up 

 to the side of his friend with a beaming face. 



" Charlie, old man, I've found her at last ! " he says. 



" Found who ? " asks Maunsell, in amazement. 



" Why, Ethel." 



" Not Ethel Cuthbert ? " 



"Yes, old man, she's here." 



"Here?" 



" Yes, over there ; can't you see her ? " 



"You forget, Frank, that I have only seen her photo- 

 graph. Well, over there I can see Lady Beauchamp, Mrs. 

 Gower, Mrs. Wemyss, and the two Miss Styles, who are 

 apparently making a minute study of ' the pretty horse- 

 breaker ' and her mare." 



" The pretty ' what ' ? " says Captain Gordon. 



" The pretty horse-breaker. Miss Enid Styles has just 

 informed me that the young lady over there is a horse- 



