terwards. So in I went into the scene of
waiting, interspersed with bustle, that always precedes a wedding, and
was handed into the bed-room where the bridesmaids were secluded till
the bride was ready, all save Pippa and the most favoured cousin, who
were arraying her. There were a dozen, and all were Horsmans except
Dora and me. The child made one great leap at me, and squeezed me, to
such detriment of our flimsy draperies that she was instantly called to
order. Her lip pouted, and her brow lowered; but I whispered two words
in her ear, and with a glance in her eye, and an intent look on her
face, she stood, a being strangely changed from the listless, sullen,
defiant creature she had been a minute before.

Therford was one of those old places where the church is as near as
possible to the manor house, standing on a little elevation above it,
and with a long avenue of Lombardy poplars leading from the south
porch, the family entrance, to the front door of the house, so this was
that pretty thing, a walking, instead of a carriage, wedding. As one
of the procession, I could not see, but the red and white must have
made it very pretty, and the Northchester paper was quite poetical in
its raptures.

All this was, however, forgotten in the terrible adventure that
immediately followed. The general entrance was by the west door, and
close to this I perceived Harold following his usual practice of
getting into the rear and looking over people's heads. When the
service was over, and we waited for the signing of the registers, most
of the spectators, and he among them, went out by this western door,
and waited in the churchyard to see the procession come out.

Forth it came, headed by the bride and bridegroom, both looking their
very handsomest, and we bridesmaids in six couples behind, when, just
as we were clear of the porch, and school-children were strewing
flowers before the pair, there was a strange shuddering cry, and the
great bloodhound, Kirby, with broken chain and foaming jaws--all the
dreadful tokens of madness about him--came rushing up the avenue with
the speed of the wind, making full for his mistress, the bride. There
was not a moment for her to do more than give a sort of shrieking,
despairing command, "Down, Kirby!" when, just as the beast was
springing on her, his throat was seized by the powerful hands that
alone could have grappled with him, and the terrible head, foaming, and
making horrid chokin