228 rate's day with the old horse 



the hounds are, and if I must give it up and let 

 that Preece girl beat me ? " 



Listening intently, she sat for a moment by the 

 roadside, the old horse's ears pricked keenly for- 

 ward. At last she thought she heard hounds run- 

 ning, it seemed, to her right. Without a moment's 

 hesitation she turned Joe round, and, sobered by his 

 fall, that mud-besmeared veteran popped over the 

 wall as cleverly as a cat, only to be reined up short 

 as he lit, for there, streaming over another wall, 

 were the whole pack, going as keenly and as fiercely 

 now as in the first three fields. With them were 

 only two horsemen, the master and the man in 

 mufti. 



As the three joined forces, George noticed for the 

 first time his cousin's white face and muddy gar- 

 ments. 



" Why, Kate, where have you been ? Not hurt, 

 I hope ? " and though the words were curt and 

 simple, the expression in his face was less careless 

 than it might have been. 



" No, thanks ; more mud than bruises, I think. 

 Where is Miss Preece ? " 



" Polled off in the only piece of plough in the 

 county, and seems to have taken root there," 

 laughed the ungallant M.F.H. 



" No damage done, I hope ? " said Kate. 



