UPSET. 138 



'' drove the brute hard at it " need not be 

 recapitulated. 



The course was for the most part natural 

 country, but a few jumps were made, and these 

 the field was now approaching. Thick hedges 

 with ditches before them were the next fences, 

 and at the first of these an ugly accident was 

 nearly happening. Mabel almost screamed as 

 she saw The Countess swerve and cannon against 

 Heartsease as he landed, knocking Olive's foot 

 out of the stirrup, and bringing the mare on to 

 her nose. They were within an ace of falling, 

 but saved themselves cleverly. 



"Well done!" cried Sir Henry, who had 

 taken up his station on the drag behind his wife 

 and Mabel. " Herries won't lose the race if 

 riding can save it. See ! Beautifully done ! " 

 he continued, as Olive, having steadied himself 

 and his mount, kicked back his foot into the 

 stirrup at the moment when they were rising at 

 the next fence. 



To Mabel the whole race was such an exciting 

 struggle that she scarcely realized what was 

 going forward ; but she saw that in the midst of 

 the throng Olive's light blue jacket was borne to 

 the water-jump, and that he got away well on 

 the otlier side. So far as her eyes could see, 

 none of her lover's opponents had that peculiar 



