An October Afternoon 



tion, and that was when we had a very sharp 

 frost and a good six inches of snow on the 4th 

 of the month. 



It is, however, one of the curiosities of this 

 variable climate of ours, that we get our weather 

 in snatches, and the north-west wind that has 

 brought us the much-needed rain, keeps blow- 

 ing up strong showers day after day. So on this 

 particular morning there was a very glimmering, 

 shimmering sunshine, and a wildish wind, in- 

 creasing in violence. " Shining thro' rain " and 

 " blowing thro' rain " were the dicta of the 

 weather-wise, and hounds moved off to draw 

 the first covert in a drenching shower. 



They found, of course, they always do find in 

 White Thorn Dene; but it was only now and 

 again that a few hounds spoke. A fox slipped 

 over the ride, our huntsman viewed him, and a 

 few notes of his horn got hounds so close to his 

 brush that they were able to send him along 

 rather cheerily. After running twice round the 

 Dene they got away close to him — a lucky thing 

 for them — for as he broke he caught sight of 

 a belated sportsman and was making back for 



57 



