226 rate's day with the old horse 



For the moment the temperate habits of past 

 years were forgotten, and poor Kate, with arms 

 aching and powerless, felt herself flashing over stout 

 stone walls at a pace which would have been dan- 

 gerous over sheep hurdles. 



Polly's chestnut, on the contrary, was behaving 

 in a manner which would have done credit to the 

 best horse in Galway or with the Heythrop, steady- 

 ing himself at every wall and popping over with the 

 least possible exertion to himself or risk to his rider. 



And now five of the " pursuers " were in one 

 field, grass beneath their feet and a fair stone wall 

 without a gap in it in front. 



All except Polly probably noticed the rushes 

 which grew in tiny bunches beneath the wall, and 

 guessed from them and from the sudden dip of the 

 land that the take-off would be a boggy one. 



In vain Kate tried to get a pull at her horse. 

 On the left Vernon and Polly had got over with a 

 scramble. One man was down, and a second felt 

 that the roan was worth another fifty at least for 

 the way he kicked himself clear of the dirt. 



With a rush which would have landed him well 

 on the other side of twenty feet of water, the brown 

 went at the highest place he could find in the wall. 

 Kate knew what must come, but hardened her heart 

 and faced it. As the old horse tried to rise, he 



