The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

Perry. 1t seems that while your other
captains stay home and look after theil
companies, Capt. Stryker has sub
altern attend to his while he comes a.
hunting"
"On the other hand, we fellows have
dozen things to do in our troops that
Capt. Stryker does himself in his. Its
as broad as it's long, Mrs. Belknap," said
Dana. He did not fancy her criticising
the methods of his cavalry associates
and was possibly a little piqued at the
decided annoyance she showed at Perry'f
failure to attend Meantime. Stryk ker
all unconscious of er censure, was chat
ting laughingly with Mrs. Sprague and
exchanging shots With the colonel and
Mrs. Lawrence. The four were getting
on admirably together and seemed toe
much absorbed in their own fun to note
the fact that Mrs. Belknap and her knot
ually edging away toward the right, and
that the rest of the hunt was becoming
widely scattered
1T is time we stirred up jack rabbit
at least. said the colonel Suppose we
veer over toward the northwest little
Whatever we do, we want no chase down
there toward Dunraven: those wire fences
would spoil it all,
Il wonder if those people never hunt?'
said Mr. Farnham. who had joined the
quartet: he always kept close to his
colonel, as betitted an aspirant for the
adjutancy 'Englishmen are generally
game for all sorts of sport.
81 can see horsemen out there on the
prairie to the east of the ranch" said
Stryker. whose eyes were keen, land
could have sworn moment ago that
saw horsewOman.
Nonsense, Capt Strykerr' exclaimed
Mrs. Lawrence, yet with quick glance
at Mrs Sprague. What could you
have taken for a lady on horseback?
Do you suppose there could be ladies al
Dunraven and we not know it?''
Hardly possible. answered the cap
tain, land therefore doubted the evl-
dence of my senses. Yet something very
like lady followed by groom rode
down the slope into the valley about ten
minutes ago She is out of sight in the
timber now If Perry were only with
us I'd send him off there to see.
Eyes, we miss Perry on our hunts,
said the colonel to his lady friends.
He is one of our best riders and most
enthusiastic sportsmen. He will be out
will he not, Stryker?"
"Yes, sir. There is really no neces-
sity for his staying in, and so told him
but he felt that he ought to, at least
until certain work was finished Then
he said he could ride eastward and join
us. Hurrah! there they gol''
Far out to the front, straight to the
east, "a gray streak with white tip to
it, went shooting into space as though
launched from some in visible bow drawn
by giant power. A big jack rabbit, all
legs and ears, had listened quivering and
trembling to the sounds of the approach
ing hunt, until an enterprising terrier,
foremost skirmisher of the line, fairly
tumbled over him as he crouched behind
a little bunch of weeds: then with one
mighty leap and the accompaniment of
a wild yelp from his discoverer he sprang
forth into race for his precious life.
Hoy! hoyI" yells the sergeant as he
sights the quarry "Hurrahw shout the
nearest huntsmen, and, with one stimuli
taneous impulse, skirmishing ours,
stealthy, springing hounds. eager steeds,
and iubilant riders-men and women
away goes the entire field sweeping in
pursuit At first all is one mad rush
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