VERY EARLY HUNTING DAYS 17 



old habit, and the mad going I expect Fanny saw 

 to. All fences were ahke to me in these days, 

 and hounds merely things which encouraged 

 people to gallop over green fields. 



Before my father's death, when we still had 

 the little cottage in Clare, my sister and I had a 

 nasty experience and perhaps a narrow escape. 

 My father was evicting a labourer then. Mack, a 

 very bad character. He wanted the house for 

 another man, but Mack would not go. 



My sister and I drove up to ArdsoUus alone to 

 stay there. We came unexpectedly and the care- 

 taker and his wife were sleeping at their own 

 cottage about three hundred yards away. 



The place was only an ordinary thatched 

 cottage, with an addition and long passage built 

 on at the back. We were left with Snap, a black 

 and charming cur, to mind us. The hall door 

 opened with a latch from the outside, but there 

 was a Httle catch which held it, and prevented 

 anyone coming in unless the catch was down. This 

 catch was not often thought of. I suppose it was 

 about ten when my sister said to me, " Dora, put 

 up the catch of the door. I'm feeling nervous." 



I reached up and fastened it and came back 

 and settled to my book. Not five minutes later 

 stealthy footsteps pounded up the Uttle path and 

 the door was tried sharply. Snap hurling himself 

 out with a grunting growl. We heard the shake 

 again. My sister flew to hasp the window and 



