The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-01-15

through LII the very wake OF the hounds,
crmnbling the sandy banks and crashing
through the pebbly stream bed Out on
the southern slopes went Bunny, close
followed by the hounds; out on their trail
went the big hunter, but his riders hat
has been brushed away in the wild dash
through the timber, and now fame of
beautiful golden hair-a great wave of
ight-fies on the wind over his glossy
back, and. though she still leans over the
camille Juggling hard at the reins, she is
plainly losing strength. Some of the
Rossiter party burst through the timber
in pursuit; some still ride hopefully up
the north bank, and these are rewarded,
for once again poor, badgered, Devil
dered Bunny makes a sudden swerve,
and, throwing half the hounds far be-
hind, darts a second time to the shelter
of the banks, with the other half closer
at his heels than before.
Those who were watching see the big
hunter making long, circular sweep,
then once again bring up in the wake Of
the leaders, once more go leaping, plung-
ing, crashing through the stream, and,
in another minute, rabbit, hounds,
huntsmen, the field" and the fair in
cognita are all strung out in chase along
the northern shore, and all eyes can Sec
that she is an English girl and we'll nigh
exhausted Still, no man can catch that
hunter and lay hands on the rein. She
is riding with the foremost now, leading
the troopers, even, and still Bunny spins
along in front, the hounds crashing not
six feet behind him. A little point of
bluff juts out just ahead; the stream
winds round it's base and takes a turn
northward for a dozen rods. Bunny
shoots the turn like the pilot of the
lightning express. the hounds strain TIC
make it without loss of vantage gained,
the big hunter sways outward to the
very verge of the steep and crumbli1g
bank, and a groan goes up from the
breathless pursuers; but he rallies and
straightens once more in the track, and
the golden hair, streaming in advance,
is the orifamme of the chase Then as
they round the point Dana gives shout
of Joy Straight down the slopes,
straight and swift as rode the daring
huzzar from whom he got his name,
when he bore the fatal message like
arrow flight from the Sapoune crest at
Balaklava, down the bluffs to the right
front comes Nolan, with Ned Perry on
his blackberry. with set. resolute. yet
almost frenzied face-Perry with eyes
that flash blue fire in the intensity Of
their gaze and NoIan's vigorous strides
have brought him in cirCling sweep in
lust ten seconds more, close to the hunters
quarter, close behind the fiuttering skirt.
Just ahead there is another sudden
turn to the left; the stream goes one
way, the bluffs another, and between
them lies five-acre patch Of level prairie
thickly studded here, there. everywhere,
with tiny earthen mounds and tiny, gap
ing, treacherous holes-a prairie dog
village, by all that's awful! and that
runaway hunter, mad in the chase of
the sweeping hounds, is in the midst of
it before mortal hand can check or
swerve him. Another second, and they
who pursue have veered to right or left
or reined up on the verge-all save one.
Never faltering, Ned Perry is at her
hunters quarter. almost at her side.
They see him squirting, they see him
bending eagerly towards her, they see
that he is shouting something to her
Heaven knows what! Then there is q
groan of misery and dread from dozen
breasts, a groan that as suddenly bursts
into the gl&ddesI Of cheers: She hunters