An October Afternoon 



blow about, dry as dust, and trouble hounds 

 no little. Outside, too, scent is only moderate 

 as a rule. The fallows and stubbles are as hard 

 and as dry as the high road, and about as dusty, 

 and hounds, if they are able to hunt a little on 

 the grass, are bothered on every side with cattle 

 and sheep, whilst the fine, open weather keeps 

 people in the fields, and foxes are headed on 

 every hand. No wonder, then, that the hunts- 

 man does not like an Indian summer, for he 

 sees day by day some of the results of his early 

 mornings' hard labour slipping away from him. 

 His quick eye notices how Rarity looks longingly 

 at that rabbit which has just blundered up in 

 front of her very nose ; he is not slow to notice 

 how Merriman flung round outside the covert 

 and owned the line of a hare though he did not 

 speak to it. A month ago neither of them would 

 have been so near transgression, but a month 

 of disappointments has told its tale, and there 

 is a laxity of conduct amongst the young ones 

 at times which costs the huntsman no little 

 anxiety. 



I have said that there are exceptions to the 

 53 



