THE BLOODHOUND IN THE VALE. 147 



Mrs Clay Ker Seymer were well up till near the 

 end, the only members of the field who were 

 actually up when the deer was taken being Mr 

 Merthyr Guest, Mr Clay Ker Seymer, and one 

 of the whippers-in. There was a good deal of 

 grief on the way, and it was rumoured that a tree 

 had been cut down to free the present Sir Walter 

 Grove from some strange predicament, various 

 explanations of which were afloat. 



Now from the bright to the sombre, and we will 

 see what befell those who met Lord Wolverton at 

 Manston in the same month of March 1874. The 

 Master had out nine couple of hounds, and there 

 was a fair -sized field to meet him, among the 

 latter being Major Whyte-Melville, Mr and Mrs 

 Clay Ker Seymer, Lady Theodora Grosvenor, 

 Captain Coote, and Captain Bridges of Fifehead. 

 As soon as the deer had been uncarted. Major 

 Whyte-Melville mounted guard over the gate of 

 the field where the followers were assembled, 

 announcing in magisterial tones that no one on 

 horse or foot was to pass that way. " But first," 

 he remarked presently with a twinkle in his eye, 

 " we will make sure the gate will open — just for 

 you and me." 



There was, however, no need for hurry, for the 

 deer trotted off in a very lackadaisical manner, and 

 when hounds were laid on they were very head- 

 strong and dijBBcult to manage, though they soon 

 came upon her in a little covert in \\ hich she had 

 taken refuge. When the deer was at last per- 



