truggling thing in front of him was a sore
temptation.

His brief hesitation, however, lost him the game. Her light feet raced
through the grass with the speed of wings, and she threw herself over the
gate and upon him before he could make good his claim. He found himself
thrust back, and the long habit of obedience had conquered instinct
before it could reassert itself. She dropped upon her knees beside the
thing in the grass and discovered a young hare caught in a snare.

It was a very ordinary poacher's contrivance fashioned of wire. The
little animal was fairly caught round the body, and the cruel tension of
the gin testified to his anguished and futile struggles for freedom. The
wire had cut into his shoulder, and his bolting eyes were wild with
terror. It was no easy task to loosen the trap, and there was blood on
Toby's hands as she strove to release the straining, frenzied creature.

She was far too deeply engrossed in the matter to heed any sound of
approaching feet, and when the thud of a horse's hoofs suddenly fell on
the turf close to her she did not raise her head. But she did look up
startled when two hands swooped down from above her and gripped the
hare with a vice-like strength that stilled all struggling.

"He will claw you to pieces," said Bunny bluntly. "Shall I kill him? He's
damaged. Or do you want to let him go?"

"Oh, let him go--of course!" cried Toby, dragging reckless at the wire.
"See, it's coming now! Hold him tight while I slip it off!"

The wire slipped at last. She forced it loose, and the victim was free.
Bunny turned to lay him in the grass, and Toby sprang upon Chops and held
him fast. She was crying, fiercely, angrily.

"How dare they set that cruel thing? How dare they? He isn't dead, is he?
Why doesn't he run away?"

"He's hurt," said Bunny. "Let me kill him! Let Chops finish him!"

"No, no, no, no!" Vehemently Toby flung her protest. "He may be hurt, but
he'll get over it. Anyway, give him his chance! There! He's moving! It
wouldn't be fair not to give him his chance."

"It would be kinder to kill him," said Bunny.

"I hate you!" she cried back, weeping over Chops who stood strained
against her. "If--if--if you touch him--I'll never, never speak to you
again!"

Bunny came to her, took Chops by the collar, and fastened him with his
whip to the gate. Then he stooped over Toby, his young face sternly set.

"Stop crying!" he said. "Let me have your hands!"

They were a