4 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



thrash a man, whose horse had kicked a hound, till he 

 had to be dragged off him. Although he looked such a 

 shrivelled up little fellow, Nunn could box like Nat 

 Langham and hit like a kicking horse. 



" There was one hound in particular that was the apple 

 of his eye ; an ugly hare-pied brute called Marksman, in 

 his eighth season and still running to head when Nunn's 

 death took place. This hound was so savage that none 

 of the men at the kennels dared handle him, but with 

 Nunn he was as gentle as a lamb. He was a wonderful 

 working hound with a curious deep voice, and a marvel 

 at holding a cold line. We used to say that Nunn's 

 ' For-ard to Marksman ! ' was as good as a view-hallo, 

 and that the two were sufficient to account for any fox. 

 Anthony Nunn and the Haycester Marksman were 

 renowned all over England. 



" I have dwelt somewhat on Nunn's peculiarities be- 

 cause, to my mind, when it is realised what manner of 

 man he was, the experiences which I am about to relate 

 become so much more credible. Looking back with a 

 calm mind, the whole thing seems to me in perfect 

 accord. 



" I have told you how the killing of his fox was the 

 be-all and end-all with him, how he looked upon the 

 hunted fox as his natural and most deadly enemy, and 

 how he would rage if Reynard managed to save his brush. 

 To lose a fox affected him like a mortal insult, and he 

 would brood over it until he was satisfied that he had 

 brought the offender to book. 



" That last fox was a typical instance. Twelve days 

 before Nunn's death the hounds met at Yewbarrow Mill, 

 then as now in the Monday country. We found a fox 



