happened I was away in
full chase.

Even in the terror of the moment I could not help laughing to myself at
the thought of poor Martin tumbling across the stable-yard, and finding
himself out of the hunt. After that he would at least deign to
recognise Barry Gallagher.

Though scarcely half-a-minute had elapsed, Juno and her precious burden
were at the end of the long avenue before I was at the beginning of it.
Paddy, amazed at all the excitement, lost some seconds in plunging
before I could induce him to lay himself out for the pursuit. Then, to
do him justice, he needed little coaxing from me. If only his wind was
as long as his stride, this hue and cry might prove a holiday freak. If
not--

It was a moment of keen suspense when at last I got clear of the avenue
and looked round in search of the fugitive. There she was, her light
figure thrown back as she strained at the reins, and her face turned to
the upland ahead. Just beyond Knockowen, on the south side, is a long
stretch of smooth turf, lying along the cliff-tops for a mile or more,
and then suddenly cut short by a deep chasm in the coast, into which the
waters of the lough pour tumultuously even in fair weather, and in foul,
rage and boil as if in a caldron. It was a favourite sport of Miss Kit
to gallop along this tempting stretch of grass, and Juno knew the way
only too well.

As I came into the open, I could see that, in spite of the rider's
efforts, the mare was making straight for the dangerous cliffs, and that
in a few short minutes, unless a miracle happened, or unless I could
reach the spot first, her mad career was likely to end in a way it made
me sick to contemplate.

I stood in my stirrups and gave a loud halloo, and could see Miss Kit
turn her head for a moment and then settle down again to the task of
keeping her seat and pulling frantically at the reins; while I, aiming
direct for the point of danger, put Paddy in a straight line across
country.

It was a desperate race, that between the mad, high-mettled mare and the
canny, raw-boned hunter. Happily he had but a boy's light weight to
carry. For a moment or two I lost sight of the runaways. Then as I
cleared a rise I saw them, a quarter of a mile away on my right, our
courses closing on one another at every yard.

Presently, with a sickening sensation, I caught sight of the solitary
beacon-post which marks the edge of the chasm for the unwary traveller.
On clear ground I could