ONLY THE MARE 143 



journey didn't lame her nothing would. Stones 

 had just been put down as a matter of course ; but 

 there was no time for picking the way, and taking 

 tight hold of her head we sped on. 



About a mile from the Lodge I came to the cross- 

 roads. Before me w^as a long vista of stone — 

 regular rocks, so imperfectly were they broken : to 

 the right was the smoother and softer pathway over 

 the fields — perfect going in comparison to the road. 

 Just over this fence, a hedge, and with hardly 

 another jump I should come again into the high- 

 way, saving quite two miles by the cut. Bertie 

 had said " Don't," but probably he had spoken 

 thoughtlessly, and it was evidently the best thing 

 to do, for the time I saved might be of the greatest 

 value to poor little suffering JSTellie ! I pulled 

 up, and drew the mare back to the opposite 

 hedge. She knew her work thoroughly. Three 

 bounds took her across the road : she rose — the 

 next moment I was on my back, shot some distance 

 into the field, and she was struggling up from the 

 ground. There had been a post and rail whose 

 existence I had not suspected, placed some six feet 

 from the hedge on the landing side. She sprang 

 up, no legs were broken ; and I, a good deal shaken 

 and confused, rose to my feet, wondering what to 

 do next. I had not had time to collect my 



