HUNTINGCROP HALL. 185 



but when the desired quality had made its appearance, 

 attracted by my authors' wizard-like power, it was of an 

 extremely spurious character, and entirely evaporated 

 when I had reached the little railway-station nearest to 

 the Hall. A particularly neat groom, whom I recog- 

 nised as having' been in town with the Huntingcrops, 

 was awaiting me in a dog-cart, and the conveyance was 

 just starting when we met a string of horses, hooded 

 and sheeted, passing along the road : in training, if I 

 might be permitted to judge from their actions, for the 

 wildest scenes in " Mazeppa," "Dick Turpin," or some 

 other exciting equestrian drama. I did not want the 

 man to tell me that they were his master's; I knew it at 

 once ; and the answers he made to my questions as to 

 their usual demeanour in the field plunged me into an 

 abyss of despair. 



The hearty greeting of the Major, the more subdued 

 but equally inspiriting welcome of his daughter, and the 

 contagious cheerfulness of a house full of pleasant people, 

 in some measure restored me ; but it was not until the 

 soothing influence of dinner had taken possession of my 

 bosom, and a whisper had run through the establishment 

 that it was beginning to freeze, that I thoroughly re- 

 covered my equanimity, and was able to retire to rest 

 with some small hope that my bed next night would not 

 be one of pain and suffering. 



Alas, for my anticipations ! I was awakened from 

 slumber by a knock at the door, and the man entered 

 my room with a can of hot water in one hand and a pair 



