Page:Lesbia Newman - Dalton - 1889.djvu/94

 luck at that rail, I can tell you. It was quite a relief to see you safe over; and even when you had broken it, I don’t think anyone followed you. Now for the rite’,—and he drew the sanguinary stump down each of her cheeks. ‘By the way, aren’t you the young lady who had from the Guineabushes a bull pup by my dog?’

‘Yes, they gave me a milk-white one, a beauty; I’ve named him Gossamer; I hope he’ll be my pet for years to come.’

After more friendly chat about the run, Lesbia, in her war-paint, with the brush suspended to the cantle of her saddle, the mask and pads tied on the pommel, rode up to Miller and slipped a half sovereign into his hand—he had saved the fur for her with difficulty, as the dogs were savage—and then jogged home by the road with her friend, reaching Dulham, a distance of eleven miles, just before dusk.

The vicar had come out on foot a little way in hope to meet them.

‘Who is this that cometh from Edom—why, Lesbie, you sanguinary barbarian! I wish you joy of your blushing honours: you bear them thick upon you, with a vengeance!’

‘Yes, Uncle Spines, sanguinary barbarian is the right word. A small part of the blood is my own, however; I can’t help wishing it were all so. They talk of hounds running for blood, but I have been running for it too.’

‘Oh, that’s all right, Lesbie, you needn’t have any scruples of that sort; I can soon prove that to you. But what have you had to eat and drink all day?’

‘The sandwiches and my sherry-flask supplied our wants.’

‘Why didn’t you stop at a pub and have a tankard, or three of Irish hot?’ asked her uncle.

‘I was afraid Letty would take too much, and get to using bad language.’

‘I like that, you bargee!’ laughed Letitia, striking at her