“Oh, Hugh, how can you be so cruel!”

“The beast has no spirit,” he said shortly.  “I’ll get one that has.”

Their road wound through the western side of the estate towards misty rolling country, in the folds of which lay countless lakes, and at length they caught sight of an unpainted farmhouse set amidst a white cloud of apple trees in bloom.  On the doorstep, whittling, sat a bearded, unkempt farmer with a huge frame.  In answer to Hugh’s question he admitted that he had a horse for sale, stuck his knife in the step, rose, and went off towards the barn near by; and presently reappeared, leading by a halter a magnificent black.  The animal stood jerking his head, blowing and pawing the ground while Chiltern examined him.

“He’s been ridden?” he asked.

The man nodded.

Chiltern sprang to the ground and began to undo his saddle girths.  A sudden fear seized Honora.

“Oh, Hugh, you’re not going to ride him!” she exclaimed.

“Why not?  How else am I going to find out anything about him?”

“He looks—­dangerous,” she faltered.

“I’m tired of horses that haven’t any life in them,” he said, as he lifted off the saddle.

“I guess we’d better get him in the barn,” said the farmer.

Honora went behind them to witness the operation, which was not devoid of excitement.  The great beast plunged savagely when they tightened the girths, and closed his teeth obstinately against the bit; but the farmer held firmly to his nose and shut off his wind.  They led him out from the barn floor.

“Your name Chiltern?” asked the farmer.

“Yes,” said Hugh, curtly.

“Thought so,” said the farmer, and he held the horse’s head.

Honora had a feeling of faintness.

“Hugh, do be careful!” she pleaded.

He paid no heed to her.  His eyes, she noticed, had a certain feverish glitter of animation, of impatience, such as men of his type must wear when they go into battle.  He seized the horse’s mane, he put his foot in the stirrup; the astonished animal gave a snort and jerked the bridle from the farmer’s hand.  But Chiltern was in the saddle, with knees pressed tight.

There ensued a struggle that Honora will never forget.  And although she never again saw that farm-house, its details and surroundings come back to her in vivid colours when she closes her eyes.  The great horse in every conceivable pose, with veins standing out and knotty muscles twisting in his legs and neck and thighs.  Once, when he dashed into the apple trees, she gave a cry; a branch snapped, and Chiltern emerged, still seated, with his hat gone and the blood trickling from a scratch on his forehead.  She saw him strike with his spurs, and in a twinkling horse and rider had passed over the dilapidated remains of a fence and were flying down the hard clay road, disappearing into a dip.  A reverberating sound, like a single stroke, told them that the bridge at the bottom had been crossed.