HAT ROT!" James Tal

"WH bot flung this ejaculation

on the bracing autumnal air with the most heartfelt vigor. His explosive scorn must have had some extenuation in Polly Barbour's eyes, for she did not look at all shocked. In fact, she even nodded her exceedingly pretty head in sympathetic assent.

"I feel that way myself, Jim," she said, somewhat mournfully; "but you mustn't insist. One unreasonable man on my hands at atime, is all I can handle. "

"That's all right, Polly," returned the young man, promptly; "but you can't expect me to stand it like a lamb. Your uncle is so pig-headed! I don't see why you can't ride for

once without his knowing anything about it."

The girl gave an impatient sigh and flashed a quick look of wonder at him. "Not know it?" she replied, with a touch of reproach.

You

are certainly aware, my dear boy, that his favorite pastime is calling on people; he is a devoted follower of the dames. But perhaps you are not aware that tea and gossip go together; and that the hunting set is a constant theme of conversation with the whole town. Not know it! We wouldn't be back from the hunt before he would hear that his niece and ward had 'engaged in the unwomanly pastime of following the hounds. He feels responsible for my conduct as long as he is my

guardian, and he has put his foot down, so I can not hunt; but I'm glad he doesn't have the same prejudice against a woman's riding horseback."

The girl looked so slight and dainty that one would have thought her uncle Rodney somewhat justified in protecting her from the possible dangers of the hunt. But in her anatomical equipment, Polly Barbour had a wrist like steel, and her small head was as cool and quick as any man's in the Lanvale Hunt; and she rode, too, as if she had been cradled in the saddle. No wonder that James Talbot, who had a passion for horses and sport, was exceedingly fond of the young girl, and wanted her companionship in the sport that they both liked better than anything else. know that nothing but a narrow prejudice of her uncle's prevented her going, was hard to bear. But they both knew that he did not take his foot up, once he had put it down. This was what had elicited Talbot's emphatic protest and Polly's approving amen.

To

"I am the principal sufferer," she continued, after a pause, " for you can ride to hounds all you like, while I can only post along a stupid old country road. If you had ever heard him say, in his pompous way: 'I regard it as absolutely unwomanly for a young girl to take part in a hunt. Why, I could not hold up my head before people if they knew that my own niece was jumping over fences with a crowd of young men, and assimilating the jargon of the hunting set. Never will I consent to it!' And, Jimmie, I don't believe he ever will. "He goes to town to-night," Polly resumed, "to dine with a friend, Doctor Knapp. He will probably be He will probably be more severe than ever on my hunting when he comes back, as an offset for his own worldly indulgence."

"Well, I shall ride with you tomorrow, Polly, and not follow the hounds," said Talbot, with heroic. sacrifice. "We can have a good lively run by ourselves."

"Yes, and we can see them meet and start," said Polly, animatedly. "He won't be up by the time they do that, so he can't stop me. He will need extra sleep, coming back from town so late. If there is one duty he is faithful to, it is keeping my guardian in good physical condition. But it

is too bad for you to give up the run on my account."

"I'd give up more than that on your account, Polly," returned Talbot, robustly. "It won't be so hard riding riding with you as following the hounds in a wax because you aren't along."

That evening Miss Barbour saw her revered uncle depart, clean shaven and in the most proper evening garb, with an air as if he were going to convert the heathen.

"I

"Don't remain up for me, my dear," he said, with his exasperating benignity, as he was leaving. may return somewhat late; it is so long since I have seen Doctor Knapp. I shall take the latch-key."

Polly did not wait up for him; and she packed James Talbot off an hour earlier than he wanted to go, on the ground of having to get up so early for the meet.

In the morning she rode softly off so as not to disturb the rosy slumber of her methodical guardian. It was a crisp early November morning. How she wished she were to be one of the spirited crowd that rode so gaily after the yelping pack, the horses prancing with mettlesome eagerness for the course, and the hounds giving cry excitedly.

"They are going to Crogan's Hollow," said Talbot. "Let's go in the other direction. 'Lead us not into temptation,'" he added, good humoredly. His two dogs, somewhat disappointed in not being able to accompany their hunting companions, ran on ahead, fancying they were going to have a little chase of their

own.

The young people had ridden about a mile, keeping their horses at a

They are too well trained for fox to let a hare or anything else lead them astray. But this is odd," he added, watching the dogs. "They are going at it in such a straggling way, and yet without trying to pick up the scent."

In

This was true. The hounds were running in an undulating line, but with their noses well down all the time, and with no uncertainty. one place they seemed to strike a particularly strong scent, for they yelped excitedly; but after a moment they ran on again with the same certainty, although still making those odd turns to the right and left.

"I never saw them act like that," cried Talbot, keenly aroused. "Let's go on a little with them, Polly. Providence seems to have sent us a fox of our own."

"But won't this be following the hounds?" asked Polly, with an arch smile.

"No; it will be only investigating a scientific phenomenon. Besides, this meadow is as level as a road; no fences, no brush, no nothing."

Polly allowed herself to be persuaded. Her uncle would never know it, in any case. They had conspicuously declined to join the hunt, and here was a little accommodating reynard of their own. It looked like a reward of virtue.

"We mustn't get too near home," said Miss Barbour. "You know you can cut right across this meadow from the station to the house."

"Oh, the fox won't go too near that ! But if he does, we'll call off

Down near the edge of the gully, the hounds were gamboling with noisy yelps around a prostrate figure doubled up on the grass. For a moment the young fellow and girl exchanged glances of dread. Then, as they rode close, and saw the face of the man, there was a choking burst of laughter from both.

Polly's guardian, the grave and proper Mr. De Peyster Rodney, lay like a sleeping babe on the sward, about three feet from the edge of the quarry. His rather ample mouth was decidedly ajar, and his breathing was a heavy, regular snore. tall hat, badly ruffled and dented, lay upside down a few yards away. The dogs were barking and jumping around him.

His

"This is dreadful!" said Miss Barbour, her first burst of spontaneous laughter followed by an anxious air. "He must have had a fit. Just see how near he is to the edge of the quarry!"

"Don't be alarmed, my dear girl," said Talbot, coolly, for he had dismounted and approached the downfallen gentleman. "That dinner with Doctor Knapp was the origin of this fit. Coming down this little hill was the last straw. It was much better than tumbling into the gully. Polly," he continued, with a twinkle in his eye, "the old boy is 'loaded.' We'll rout him up and get him