'Since first I saw your face'

Front matter

HDBERT VV.WDDDHUFF

LIBRARY fifteenth} Routledge's Railway Library Advertiser.

\_Issue.

Part I Chapter Page

I. THE TWINS .... 7 II. A MEET AND A MEETING - - 14 III. THE BAPTISM OF A HUNTER BY TOTAL IMMER- SION ... 20 IV. CROSS-ROADS- - - 28 V. BROTHERLY LOVE - 33 VI. MARCHING ORDERS - - 40 VII. 'HARM WATCH, HARM CATCH' - 45 VIII. TRUTH IN THE GARB OF GOSSIP - 50 IX. TOGETHER AND YET APART - - - 59 X. 'LE JEU EST FAIT' - 68 XI. 'RIEN NE VA PLUS'- - - -77

Part II

II. FROM GREEN SWARD TO GREEN CLOTH 99

III. FRIENDS INDEED - - - - I IO

IV. 'TACHE SANS TACHE' - - 117 V. 'WILL YOU SAVE HIM?' - - 127

VI. DACHSHUND V. FOX ... j-jfc vi CONTENTS

CHAI'il:]; PAGE

VII. 'I LKAVE MV HEART BEHIND ME' - 147 VIII. ' NATURE'S VAST SONS LIE CRADLED IN THE

STORM ' - 1 60

IX. MONT BLANC - 1 67

X. ' ALTIORA PETO' - I90

XI. THE MOTHER'S VICTORY 20O

XII. 'WHERE THOU GOEST I WILL GO ' 211

XIII. MONTE CARLO - 2l6

XIV. 'JOURNEYS END IN LOVERS MEETING' - 226 XV. MRS. CARTWRIGHT KNOWS - 236

XVI. COLUMBIA SETS LANCE IN REST - - - 243

XVII. THE DEAF WON'T HEAR - - 253

XVIII. BUT THE BLIND SHALL SEE - 268

XIX. AN IMPROMPTU CAREFULLY REHEARSED- - 276

XX. JOY BELLS - - 283

XXL A FAIRY GODMOTHER - 288

XXII. THE OLD HOME REDEEMED - - 300

XXIII. A GREEN MEMORY - - - - 308

PART I

Chapter I. The Twins

' Eight o'clock, sir, and it's raining.'

The well-trained hunting valet then proceeds without more ado to draw back the curtains and pull up the blinds of two large windows in the luxuriously-furnished room he has just entered.

' Eh, what ?' says a sleepy voice from the bed ; ' eight o'clock ? Why, Patterson, I told you not to call me till nine ; what's the use in getting up at eight in a frost ?'

' Beg pardon, sir, you didn't hear me say it was raining,' replies Patterson.

' Raining !' cries the voice, no longer sleepily ; ' why didn't you say so ? Have you called Mr. Algy?'

' No, sir ; but I am going to him directly. Mr. Freeman says he thinks it must have been raining since about two o'clock this morning, and that, as there was not much frost in the ground, the hounds will most likely meet at eleven, certainly at twelve, so I thought I had better call you. Mr. Freeman says that he has got ready the Steamer and Largie for you, and Practitioner and Rose for Mr. Algy. If you want to make any change, he says, will you let him know as soon as possible ?'

' All right, Patterson, I'll think it over for a few minutes ; meanwhile go and call Mr. Algy and tell him the good news.'

' Eight o'clock, sir, and '

But Patterson has no need to finish his sentence. Mr. Algy is wide awake, and exclaims at once :

' I have just heard you come out of Mr. Evy's room; but it's only eight o'clock — the stable clock struck five minutes ago : he isn't ill ?' — this with a look of anxiety on his face.

' 111 ? No, sir,' replies Patterson ; ' but you wouldn't let me finish, Mr. Algy. It's raining, and Mr. Freeman has got ready Practitioner and Rose, unless you wish any change for second horse.'

' No, that's all right, Patterson. What is my brother going to ride ?'

' Steamer and Largie, sir.'

' Good ! I'm glad Freeman hasn't given him that new brute ; I don't half like him. Now, look sharp,

THE TWINS 9

Patterson, with the hot water ; we shall have to start at ten-thirty, and Mr. Evy hates to be hurried over his dressing and breakfast.'

' Well, I'm blowed !' says Patterson to himself as he goes downstairs ; ' if ever I saw anything like them young gentlemen ! If I was to wake up one of them in the middle of the night, he'd say, " Holloa, Patterson ! anything wrong with my brother ?" That comes of their being twins, I suppose, and orphans ; for they don't seem to care for anybody really except each other — though, goodness knows, they are kind enough to everyone. And popular ? Why, that ain't no word for it. Oh, Lord ! I hope they will never be separated it would pretty well settle the one that was left.'

It must here be mentioned that Patterson, being the son of the old family butler, through having been brought up with his young masters, was more interested in them than servants generally are in these days. To him they had always been ' Mr. Evy' and ' Mr. Algy,' and he had been ' Tom ' to them. Lately, however, it had been decided, as the twins stayed about a great deal in country-houses now they had left Oxford, that ' Mr. Patterson ' would ensure to their faithful servant a better reception in ' the Room ' than would be accorded to plain ' Tom,' endeavouring themselves, though with many a slip of the tongue, to help him to keep up his position.

io 'SINCE FIRST I SAW YOUR FACK'

Hardly had the valet got to the basement than the loud ringing of Mr. Evy's bell caused him to drop the smoking suits he had over his arm on the nearest chair and run up the stairs again. A head, with tumbled curly hair, was thrust through the door, and a voice cried :

' Tom — I mean Patterson — ask Freeman to come up and speak to me at once.'

' Very well, sir ;' and in a few moments Mr. Freeman, the stud-groom of the world (as he considered himself — and he was not far wrong), was walking slowly up the stairs, quite determined to do battle should any change in his programme be suggested.

A few words of description concerning this remarkable man will not come amiss, for Freeman's character is drawn from life, and as, alas ! his prototype's career was cut short some ten years ago, in the prime of life, he cannot come forward to contradict any statement which may appear in this book, as he most assuredly would have done — whatever it was — were he still in the land of the living. But here be it said that no better stud-groom ever laid his hand over the glossy quarters of the hunter which he had brought to the pink of condition, although no man was more fully convinced that he alone was capable of arriving at such a result. A tall, heavy man, with a considerable amount of what might be politely termed ' second chest,' a long body on short legs, not the best of hands, and a loose seat

THE TWINS ii

— notwithstanding these drawbacks, Freeman was firmly under the impression that the light-weight hunter, which his art had made so fit, could only be done full justice to if he himself were in the saddle. A Scotchman to boot, with a strong North of the Tweed accent, Freeman was wont to say, after preparing a new purchase for either of his young masters, ' I would just like to ride him myself, and get him into good ways, before you get on his back.' In this he was generally indulged by the twins, with the result that either the horse — wiser than his teacher — declined the first fence, or deposited himself and his burden — no light one — in the nearest ditch.

After this introduction we will follow Mr. Freeman into his young master's room.

' Good-morning, Freeman. I hear you say that it has been raining since two o'clock.'

' Ah, I didn't say two o'clock, sir ; I said about half-past one.'

' Well, never mind, Freeman. Anyhow, it will be good going by eleven.'

' Hounds will hunt, sir. I don't say it will be good going.'

' All right ; we will chance that,' laughs Evy. ' Mr. Algy will ride Practitioner and Rose, and I will ride the Steamer first horse ; but I want to try the new one second horse.'

' You can't do that, sir.'

' Why not ? There's plenty of time ; it is only half-past eight, and I shall not want him, say, till one.'

' No, sir,' says Freeman ; ' but I haven't ridden him myself yet, and I don't know how he will go in a bank country. I have got him ready, and was going to take him out myself this morning.'

A smile passed over the face of the young man of twenty-two, fresh from Oxford grinds, and probably as good a man to hounds for his years as could be found anywhere. Knowing, however, that to get his own way it would be necessary to put his foot down resolutely, he attempted to dispose of the autocrat by saying rather severely :

' I am sorry to disappoint you of your schooling this morning, Freeman, but I want the new horse for myself,' adding, after a moment's reflection : ' And, by Jove ! as he is ready, I'll ride him first horse, so that, if he doesn't do, I've always got the Steamer to fall back upon. Send him on, and have the dogcart round with May at half-past ten.'

Freeman had one more try to get his way, for, on turning to leave the room, he said :

' I believe this is a dangerous horse, sir. Let Mr. Algernon ride him; he falls very light, for he is more used to it than you are. Besides ' — hesitatingly — ' you are the eldest, Mr. Evy, and your life is the more precious of the two.'

Could those soft blue eyes grow hard and stony ? Could that smiling mouth draw itself into hard,

THE TWINS 13

almost cruel, lines ? Yes ! With a severe look which there was no mistaking, Evy dismissed the stud-groom, saying curtly :

' Do as I tell you, please ; if either neck is to be risked, it shall be mine — not my brother's.'

Chapter II. A Meet And A Meeting

The scene recorded in the preceding chapter took place at Huntingford, a beautiful Elizabethan mansion in Blankshire ; the gray stone walls, the stone tiles and gables, had all mellowed down to the same shade, and the harmony was complete. Like most of the houses of that epoch, it was built in a valley, and rising out of the small park were two hills, each with an encampment at the top where the fortunate mortal who was allowed to dig could still find Roman and Saxon weapons, coins, etc., in profusion, not to speak of relics of a much earlier period. Two old avenues led to the house, and a narrow but deep river wound round one of the hills, running through the park within three hundred yards of the house — a peaceful, lovable old home, and as such it was loved almost like a living being by the brothers Everard and Algernon Somerville.

They were twins who at the age of fifteen were left orphans, their parents having gone down in a yacht which, in a dense fog, ran upon a rock and

A MEET AND A MEETING 15

foundered with every one on board. The shock to the boys was great, and their grief painful to witness, for they tenderly loved their parents ; but at that age sorrow has not the power over us that it obtains in later years. Moreover, these lads had that all-absorbing love for each other which occasionally exists between twins, to the extent, even, of making them one in thought as in appearance. After a fairly successful career at public school and college, we find the brothers at twenty-two their own masters, with plenty of money, and life lying smilingly before them. What wonder, then, that death, or even sorrow, should seem far removed from that happy home and its joyous inmates ?

' Algy, do look sharp ; you've had four kidneys, three eggs, and '

'Shut up,' retorts Algy; 'you've had two mutton chops, and they are quicker to eat, though there's a lot more solid stuff in them ; anyhow, I want some marmalade ; the dogcart won't be round for ten minutes. But I say, old chap, do be careful with that new horse, for I don't half like the look of him ; he seems to me one of the sulky sort.'

' Oh, he'll be all right,' said Evy ; ' Mason told me that he was good at everything except water, so I'll look out for a bridge if I see we are coming to the Fordham Brook ; it would be deuced disagreeable to tumble into half-frozen water.'

As the brothers sit at the breakfast-table, it would be almost impossible to tell them apart — the same oval face with long gray eyes, dark hair and a slight moustache. The only difference was in the expression of the mouth, that tell-tale feature which physiognomists declare reveals with unfailing truth the real character of man or woman. Everard's expression was weak; it was the face of an irresolute man who yields to temptation, however much against his better judgment. With Algy, on the contrary, the mouth was strong, and, without being a Lavater, you could predict of him unhesitatingly that no ordinary force would turn him from whatever purpose he had in view.

' The dogcart is at the door,' announces the footman.

Great -coats are brought out, and aprons to protect their immaculate buckskins from the mud, and in a few minutes the brothers are bowling along the rather hilly road behind a well-bred cob, who can be warranted to do the five miles in five times as many minutes. Arriving at the meet, and the usual morning greetings having been exchanged, coupled with congratulations upon the break-up of the frost, a move is made towards a covert not very far off, which is the chosen abode of a certain heroic fox who has furnished more than one great run, at the end of which he has saved his brush by getting to ground in a neighbouring country.

Horses are fresh after the late frost, and sportsmen extra keen to get to work again, so that nearly all the members of the hunt on the effective list are

A MEET AND A MEETING 17

out, together with a few strangers, noticeable among whom is a beautiful young girl accompanied by an elderly, soldier-like man. They are riding two smart hacks, useful in their place, but with no pretensions to negotiate the very stiff line of country likely to be taken from this favourite wood, which generally sends the field over the cream of a very celebrated vale.

' Oh, father !' says the fair girl enthusiastically, as her eager and appreciative gaze takes in the wellmounted field and the business-like look of hunt servants and hounds. ' It is a pity the Melvilles don't know any of these people. What a sporting lot they look, and how they would despise our harriers ! I wish we lived in a hunting country. The fences about here seem enormous ; but don't you think we could get over one of them ? If the hounds find at once, I should dearly like to follow for a little bit.'

' My dear child,' replies the soldier-like man, ' you are always anxious to try anything ; but as you dance, and ride a bicycle, and play golf and lawn-tennis, I think you may leave hunting alone for the present. If you marry a hunting man, who would like you to hunt, by all means take to it ; you ride admirably as it is, and will find hunting far more satisfactory than any other form of what you call " sport." But for the present, as these pretty hacks are pig-fat, they would probably be pumped out at the end of the first field, and undoubtedly subside over the first fence, so we must content ourselves with trotting about until hounds find and go away. Remember, we have the best part of seven or eight miles to ride back. When we came to stay here, Melville warned me that, owing to his wife's ill-health and his own, they had almost lost sight and touch of their neighbours, and that our only excitement would be a meet of the hounds within distance ; so make the most of it. Let us see as much as we can of the fun, and don't get kicked in the gateways.'

Father and daughter, for such is their relationship, ride on with the large field down the highroad until they come to a bridle-path, so narrow that it almost becomes a case of single file for horsemen and horsewomen. Such, however, of the latter as are near the front find themselves, by the courtesy of the men, invited to pass first through the gate at the end of the bridle-path.

Hounds and hunt-servants are through when the Master, on a rather restive horse, though trying to keep the gate open for the ladies following him, is obliged to let it swing back with a bang, which closes the latch and makes it somewhat difficult to open from the other side.

In a moment, however, Algy Somerville, grasping the situation, jumps his horse out of the bridle-path and into it again on the other side of the gate, which he reopens in a moment, and invites the ladies to pass through. All do so with the exception of the fair girl, who, being a stranger in this, and, indeed,

A MEET AND A MEETING 19

in any other, hunting field, hesitates and looks anxiously behind to see if her father is coming ; upon which Algy, bowing to her, for he could not well take his hat off, both hands being engaged, says, smiling :

' Please come through. There are plenty of people behind you to hold the gate open, and I think you had better get forward.'

Flushing slightly, she thanks him and obeys, at the same time giving rather a long look at the speaker, for she wishes to remember the face of this young paladin who succours damsels in distress, and it seems to her wondrous fair.

Chapter III. The Baptism Of A Hunter By Total Immersion

Hounds had not been five minutes in covert before the uplifted cap of the whip stationed at the further end of it ' proclaimed him away.' Of course, hats were 'jammed on,' 'cigars and cigarettes were thrown away.' Was ever a run described without these incidents being mentioned ? Too often the sacrifice is found to be premature, and the fact emphasized by a little unparliamentary language, when a plough team, or a shepherd's dog, or a man digging potatoes, has headed the fox back into covert, from which he declines to emerge a second time, meeting in the end with the ignominious, but — from a sportsman's point of view — well-merited fate of being chopped, which is better fun for the hounds than for their followers. However, no such untoward incident awaited the eager and hard-riding field with which we are concerned on this occasion. The fox who broke covert as soon as the hounds gave tongue was one of the right sort — bold, stout, and with all a fox's share of cunning. What cared he for ploughs and shepherd's

THE BAPTISM OF A HUNTER 21

dogs, or digging labourers ? Why, he saw them every day, and knew that they boded him no harm. No, his enemies were behind him, and behind he meant to keep them, heading for a friendly earth, an eight-mile point, quite straight, where he had already twice taken refuge.

It is marvellous how an old dog-fox, who has ' travelled ' in the spring, will remember the line of country, and, when the day of emergency comes, never stops to look at small covert, thick hedgerow, or open drain, but goes straight for his point, and generally gets there. What true sportsman will grudge him a triumph so well earned ?

' Gone away! Forward ! forward !' is a welcome cry, and here there is no necessity for the Master to say, ' Give them time, gentlemen,' for hounds are still in the middle of the large wood ; everyone knows that the fox has got a fair start, and that now it is a case of ' catch who catch can.' The brothers are riding abreast, and make straight for a rather formidable stake-bound fence, with a wide ditch on the take-off side. Everard's new horse clears it with several feet to spare, and, as he spurts up alongside of Algy, he cries :

' How about your croaking, Algy ? This horse jumps splendidly/

' Yes,' replied Algy, with his eyes fixed on the next fence ; ' but look out for the Fordham Brook, for it's straight in front of us.'

After this there is no time for talking ; the scent is burning, the pace tremendous, and, hounds having the best of it, every man has his work cut out to solve the difficult problem of how to live with the flying pack. Some of them make for weak places in the fences in order to save their horses, but generally find, to their cost, that they would have done better to have taken the fence where it came ; for the ground was sound, and a big jump would have taken less out of their horses than having to bustle them to make up the hundred yards they have given away by their want of judgment.

The line is a stiff one : fair banks, stake-bound fences, and a little useful timber here and there, but so far no water. Then comes the cry, ' The Fordham Brook !' Hounds are into it at once, and as they scramble out, shaking themselves, it is evident that, swollen with the recent snow, it has overflowed its banks considerably ; otherwise the hounds would at any rate have jumped at it, hoping to get clear without swimming.

' Isn't this glorious ?' cries Evy, as side by side the twins clear the small fence into the meadow through which the brook runs, and they concentrate all their thoughts on the formidable obstacle in front of them. Where is now the prudent resolve to look for a bridge ? The excitement of sport, the young blood coursing through their veins, have sent all thought of prudence to the winds, and, as they charge the brook together, it docs not occur to either of them that the new horse is under suspicion

THE BAPTISM OF A HUNTER 23

as regards water. Over goes the huntsman first, where he generally was, being a really good man to hounds, riding under eleven stone and splendidly mounted. Nevertheless, the ominous ' Come up !' is heard as the horse lands with a struggle, his nose very near the ground.

After him comes a rough-rider, the scion of an old Blankshire family, who now makes horses for other people to ride over land, much of which his forefathers owned. To-day he is qualifying an accomplished steeplechaser for hunt races, and the horse throws the brook behind with a good six feet to spare, recalling the methods of the historic Chandler, though, fortunately, without having to clear the legendary thirty-nine feet.

Next to the leading pair come the twins, a set look upon their faces, combined with a happy smile as they realize that, once over that brook, the four of them will probably have the run pretty much to themselves ; for giving one glance behind them, as they set their horses going in grim earnest, they see several men who have hitherto been in the first flight pull up and look anxiously for some means of getting to hounds, without the great likelihood of an ice-cold bath and considerable delay.

This can by no means be called funking, for everyone belonging to that category has long since been done with ; but horses accustomed to a cramped country with high banks cannot be expected, after coming five miles at what corresponds to racing pace, to stretch themselves out over a swollen brook with a bad take-off.

' My old horse will never get over this,' says a veteran member of the hunt, and one of its greatest ornaments. ' What a fool I was not to turn off as soon as I saw that our fox was heading for Ardwell Wood ! But I didn't think it would be as bad as this. Hang me ! if the Fordham Brook to-day isn't as broad as the Whissendine !'

Good Blankshire man he might be, but he wasn't above taking the Whissendine as a standard of measurement. Who is, that has ridden over those enchanted pastures, if only for a season, as was his case ? With a sigh of regret he turned away, but it was the act of a good sportsman who wanted to see the finish of this fine run. Would that Evy had followed his example !

Algy clenches his teeth, saying to himself, ' I will get over.' Now, there is no doubt in my mind that the determination of the rider communicates itself to his horse when there is a brook in front of them ; and Practitioner, though perhaps not absolutely a glutton at water, feels that he has got to do his best this time, and goes at the brook with his ears pricked and ' a rush like the Limited Mail,' landing the other side on his knees, it is true, but righting himself at once. Indeed, he would be half across the field in a few seconds, when it flashes through Algy's mind that Evy's mount is known to be at least an indifferent water-jumper.

THE BAPTISM OF A HUNTER 25

In an instant he pulls Practitioner onto his haunches, and turns in the saddle. What does he see ? The new horse has already refused the brook once, but, urged by Evy's spurs, makes a wild jump, accompanied by a swerve, and falls sideways into the brook with his rider under him. It is a ghastly fall to see, and the danger of it patent to anyone. Algy, hurling himself off his horse, runs to the brook prepared to do what is possible from that side, while the men on the other, alive to the situation, are also off their horses. Stirrup-leathers are unshipped and fastened together, and as the horse's head appears above the surface it is secured, and the struggling animal pulled off his submerged rider.

The few seconds that pass seem an eternity to the half-maddened Algy, who stands helpless upon the other side ; but they do pass, and at last a dripping head and an outstretched arm are seen, and Evy, half swimming, struggles somehow to where Algy, now lying fiat down and holding out his huntingcrop, is able to reach him and drag him safely to the bank. A cheer goes up from the men across the brook as Evy, shaking himself like a waterspaniel, and gasping for breath, turns to them with a smile, and says :

' Thought I might as well get out on the right side. I felt you fellows pull the horse off me, and, sure enough, you saved my life, for I was jammed right down in two feet of mud at the bottom, and I know to an ounce how heavy an able-bodied hunter weighs on your chest under water. If you had not been there with your wits about you Well,

thank you a thousand times — all of you !'

To Algy he said nothing, but the brothers looked into each other's eyes, and words were not necessary.

' By Jove ! that was a cold bath,' said Evy, shivering, as he wrung out his coat. Meanwhile, there being a farmhouse close by, several labourers, always on the look-out for hounds in a hunting country, are soon on the spot, and with the help of a stout cart mare the luckless ' new horse ' is also rescued from his dilemma, and stands dripping on the bank under his master's eye. It is characteristic of Evy that at this moment he is thinking more of the gallant manner in which the animal carried him up to the brook than of his behaviour when he got there, and he says cheerily, addressing his horse, ' I was trying to find a name for you, and now I have got it— C.B.'

' Why C.B. ?' they shout across the brook.

'Companion of the Bath, to be sure.'

' Good — very good, for a half-drowned man ; but don't you give him another such chance. And now how are you going to get over to your precious C.B. ?'

However, a long plank is procured, and Kvy trots across with his arms extended, and using his huntingcrop like a balancing-pole, he declares that Niagara and a ti^ht rope is nothing to this, and Blondin not in it with him.

THE BAPTISM OF A HUNTER 27

And Algy ? All this time he has hardly spoken a word, while Evy has been able to make a joke of what might have ended in his death. But if the situation had been reversed, he would have been the silent one, for both the brothers were naturally courageous, and it was the danger to the other, not his own, that moved either of them.