A YOUNG HUNTING LADY. 25 



amusement and satisfaction. Kitty desired nothing 

 better than to " stop him," but this was easier said than 

 done, and he clearly proposed to have his jump. 



" I can't — stop ! — wa-y ! — who-a ! " cried poor Kitty, 

 tugging hard at the reins as her steed put down his 

 head, and galloped on. 



" It's all right, pray don't be frightened ; give him 

 his head, and sit well back," were Scatterly's rapidly 

 spoken injunctions, and, though very likely Kitty did 

 not give him his head (feeling too much the comfort of 

 something to hold on by, and not reflecting to what 

 extent she inconvenienced her animal), she sat back 

 and set her lips tightly as her experienced mount 

 slackened his pace and prepared for his effort. 



Scatterly's big horse took the obstacle almost in his 

 stride. At the same moment over came Kitty with a 

 crash, and, though landing well on her horse's neck, 

 got back into her saddle, and succeeded in stopping in 

 the middle of the field — a deep plough. Scatterly, too, 

 reined in to express his fears that he had startled her 

 horse, and to compliment her on her courage and judg- 

 ment, a check which occurred at this moment enabling 

 him to perform this act of grace without the suffering 

 he would have experienced had he lost his place. 



Up came also the cob, snorting indignantly, for his 

 usually patient owner, in terror lest evil might befall 

 his charge, had hurried him over the plough by means 

 of the dog-whip he always carried but rarely used ; and 

 up came also Miss Kitty's groom, who had been dis- 



