The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-21
day to evolve the great American

Weather permitting, the Edgecombe
pack hunted three days each week.
More than half the time the meet was
Wake Forest lawn. This because Of
Gagged foxes, and convenience. The
place lay centrally, with more than
half the best runs round about it.
Running full strength the pack show
ed twenty couple. More generally there
were ten, or at the most twelve. Jack
Wish, head huntsman, who had in
manner adopted Taplow, the pack, and
his own, position, was tender of his
dogs, and could not let one out save
in the pick of condition. Taplow and
the whippers-in stood equally in awe
of him-he was so given to dark rem
iniscences of what had happened when
his will was crossed. He had been
all along so high and austere with
everybody, it had given them quite a
turn to see his SLOUGH hat off to Pa
tricia, and his smile of gratified pride
when she praised the fettle of his
charges. EFF ever any woman body
ware bawn a-knowin' dawgs-why she
ware" he said, looking after her as
she rode away. Her pap, and her
granpap, and all the Rhetts before
them two, fed and bred the best that
ever yelped in Cyarliner-hawses,
too"
Ruby, the red-bay mare, was
coat newly shielded, shone like bur-
nished metal under dapples of spring
sunshine. She stood almost sixteen
hands, and was a pattern of bones and
beauty, clear limbed, sinewy, with a
beautiful lean head, a white-starred
forehead, waving silky name and
streaming tail. Somehow she put the
regular hunters, with clipped coats and
niggard locked fans quite out of court,
made them seem poor and artificial.
Somehow, too, Patricia's linen habit
and SLOUGH hat became her better than
the other women's riding gear, If they
were turned out by London shops as
if for hunting in the shires.
Mrs. Loudon admitted as much to
herself almost despairingly. Patricia
had been ten days at Wake Forest.
They were out for what was to be her
last run with the hounds. Anstruther
had gone off mysteriously at daylight
-Tregars never hunted. Neither did
Van Lewis-he preferred to chase bugs
and butterflies. Taplow was busy with
the dogs-Molly had taken possession
of Patricia. Thus Rothwell and Dick
Morton had no choice but to ride with
missile and the bold Loudon.
"How many. times has she refused
your" Mrs. Loudon asked bitterly, in
clining her head toward Patricia.
Rothwell laughted constrainedly: 81 be
lieve 1 have not quite kept count" he
said, although Anstruther advised me
to do it, and quoted the Scotch prov
erb, Nineteen naysays are half a
grant,"
Really! 1 wonder is he keeping
count! It's absurd of course to say
that-no woman will ever play with
him" Mrs. Loudon answered: Miss
Rhett I fancy knows as much
''WhVt How do Won hammer tO ride a
livery hunter to-day" Rothwell inter
rupted, irrelevantly. Mrs. Loudon gave
him sidelong look, saying:
"Is it possible you take notice of
anything about me? l bought Carr
germ three days back, and have rid
den him in my morning gallops ever
SINCE
"Wen! You have got a bad bar
gain-isn't it nasty to tell you SOP"
Rothwell said, trying to laugh: why
did you not tell me you thought of
! buying? No doubt you paid a good
price-but you truly got bad horse
for it,
II think not. He suits me-goes like
the wind. and takes whatever'I set
him at without checking" Mrs. Lou
don said: LAS to telling you-why
should 1 bother you with my small
concerns? Since you have been under
spell, you have made me feel that even
thought of friendship between US was
an impertinence."
You have a talent for misunder-
standing-but let that pass" Rothwell
said: What l cannot let pass is-that
beast you are on. 1 know him of old
knew him long before he was brought
down here. He is all you say as to
speed and action-when he chooses
there is hardly a better hunter on TOP
of ground. The trouble is he does not
always nor often choose. He's the
worst rogue possible-may carry you
like a lamb through three parts of a
run then bore into a tree or fence OIL
gateway. and dash out your brains"
Il suppose you mean to say he is as
wilful asa man." Mrs. Loudon said
laughing recklessly: Thank you very
much for telling me all about him.
bought him because-welll because
wanted a horse of superior weight an6
substance"
IF you will not go back for a re-
mount, at least change with me,
Rothwell entreated. THAT brown devi
can outrun anything in the field to-
day. When he runs a man has some
chance to keep him straight"
Thank you for nothing-I shall keeI
him straight-and ride my own line
Mrs. Loudon said meaningly whipping
ahead
The cast-off was in the edge of a bi.
deserted sedge-grown plantation. over
grown with clumps and hlotches o
tangle. The dogs found at first draw
and went away down the wind, tn,
riders streaming after, with the view
halloo ringing cheerily all about. Hal
an hour saw a double, with q dash L
pinewoods after it. There the seen
lay badly upon the drying pine straw
1t had been misty-mild at daybreak
but the strengthening sunshine ha
brought wind underneath. While tn
dogs ran i'm circles. picking out tn
scent. the Wake Forest riders, cluster
ed upon a little cleared noll. saw IN
beginning Of battle. Patricia had rein
ed up at the knolrs farther edge. Sh
hold Ruby lightly. barely feeling th
mares mouth, while she talked glee
fully with Ned Imber. a freckled Ia
and barefoot who had run away fro
school 20 follow the hunt afoot
She hardly noted that Ruby's ca
were batfed. her eyes angry. somethi0.
IN the background had ruiiied the bay
quickly she half-wheeled. iet ny via
both hind feet against the ribs on af
other horse and as she came dow
whirled completely about 3o aayal
her ANTAGONIST The antagonist w
big and brown. dulhete1. but Wif
much white Showing within ihe lld
ne, TOO. lad back both ears, ana ana B.