quarry in the covers, and to see them puzzle out a lost line in
the open, and to ride with the crash and music of the full pack
ahead of one in the ears, as the deer doubles no longer, but trusts
to speed for escape.

Those who were with us were friends of mine and of the ealdorman,
and there were three ladies in the party--one of these being, of
course, Elfrida.

Erpwald was in close attendance on her, a matter which was taken
for granted by every one at this time. He was to go with the court
to Winchester, and thence he and I would ride to Eastdean.

So we hunted through the forenoon, taking one deer, and then rode
onward until we came to the place where the great Cheddar gorge
cleaves the Mendips across from summit to base, sheer and terrible.
The village lies at the foot of the gorge on the western side of
the hills, half sheltered between the first cliffs of the vast
chasm, but on the hillside above is a deep cover that climbs upward
to the summit, and it was said that a good deer had been harboured
there.

So presently, while the hounds were drawing this wood below us, I
and Elfrida and Erpwald found ourselves together and waiting on the
hilltop at the edge of the gorge. I was almost sorry to make a
third in that little party, but Erpwald knew nothing of the
country, and Elfrida had no more skill in matters of time and place
and distance than most ladies, which is not saying much, in all
truth, though I hardly should dare to set it down, save by way of
giving a reason for my presence with so well contented a party of
two.

Now, if there is one who has not seen this Cheddar gorge, I will
say that it is as if the mighty hills had been broken across as a
boy breaks a long loaf, or as if some giant had hewn a narrow gap
with the roughest pick that ever was handled. Our forefathers held
that Woden had indeed hewn it so, and we have tales that the evil
one himself cleft it in a night, and that the rocky islands of
Steep and Flat Holme, yonder in the mid channel, are the rubbish
which he hewed thence and cast there. Maybe the overhanging cliffs
are full four hundred feet high from the little white track which
winds at their foot, and from cliff top to cliff top is but a short
bow shot.

From where we waited one could look sheer down on the track below
us, and a man who was coming slowly along it seemed like a rat in
its run, so far off did he appear. At least, so said Erpwald, who
looked over, riding to the ver