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CHAPTER XL 



THE END OF A LONG REIGN. 



It was a dark and trying- time for many of us 

 when the last of the line of Masters of the old 

 Blackmore Vale Hunt gave up the hounds at the 

 close of the season of 1899-1900, and the man- 

 agement of affairs passed into the hands of the 

 Blackmore Vale Hunt Committee. The historic 

 glories of the old hunt were ended, and the 

 snapping of the link that bound us to them 

 was not to be effected without pain. 



By arrangement with the late Master, Sir 

 Richard Glyn, Mr Guest on his retirement offered 

 the hounds to Mr K. Wingfield Digby, M.P., 

 the present owner of Sherborne Castle. Mr 

 Digby, however, did not see his way to accept 

 them, and when the Hunt Committee had been 

 formed Mr Guest offered the pack as a free gift 

 to the country. This offer the members of the 

 Committee declined, and Mr Guest had no alter- 

 native but to sell them. The grand old Black- 

 more Vale pack was consequently dispersed — 



