to the winding fanfare of the chase, and was still, on stated occasions,
swept over by accurately green-coated Parisians and green-plumed
Dianes, who had come down by train! To him it meant only unfettered and
unlimited freedom.

He rose in his stirrups, and sent a characteristic yell ringing down
the dim aisles before him. But, alas! at the same moment, his mustang,
accustomed to the firmer grip of the prairie, in lashing out, stepped
upon a slimy root, and fell heavily, rolling over his clinging and still
unlodged rider. For a few moments both lay still. Then Dick extricated
himself with an oath, rose giddily, dragged up his horse,--who,
after the fashion of his race, was meekly succumbing to his reclining
position,--and then became aware that the unfortunate beast was badly
sprained in the shoulder, and temporarily lame. The sudden recollection
that he was some miles from the road, and that the sun was sinking,
concentrated his scattered faculties. The prospect of sleeping out in
that summer woodland was nothing to the pioneer-bred Dick; he could
make his horse and himself comfortable anywhere--but he was delaying his
arrival at Havre. He must regain the high road,--or some wayside inn.
He glanced around him; the westering sun was a guide for his general
direction; the road must follow it north or south; he would find a
"clearing" somewhere. But here Dick was mistaken; there seemed no
interruption of, no encroachment upon this sylvan tract, as in his
western woods. There was no track or trail to be found; he missed even
the ordinary woodland signs that denoted the path of animals to water.
For the park, from the time a Northern Duke had first alienated it from
the virgin forest, had been rigidly preserved.

Suddenly, rising apparently from the ground before him, he saw the high
roof-ridges and tourelles of a long, irregular, gloomy building. A few
steps further showed him that it lay in a cup-like depression of the
forest, and that it was still a long descent from where he had wandered
to where it stood in the gathering darkness. His mustang was moving
with great difficulty; he uncoiled his lariat from the saddle-horn,
and, selecting the most open space, tied one end to the trunk of a large
tree,--the forty feet of horsehair rope giving the animal a sufficient
degree of grazing freedom.

Then he strode more quickly down the forest side towards the building,
which now revealed its austere proportions, though Dick