ergy.

At the foot of the slope there was, as I have already mentioned, a
small fence; towards this we were now approaching at the easy sling of
a hand-gallop, when suddenly Burke's features--which I watched from
time to time with intense anxiety--changed their expression of doubt and
suspicion for a look of triumphant malice. Putting spurs to his horse,
he sprang a couple of lengths in advance, and rode madly at the fence;
the grey stretched out to follow, and already was I preparing for the
leap, when Burke, who had now reached the fence, suddenly swerved his
horse round, and, affecting to baulk, cantered back towards the hill.
The manoeuvre was perfectly successful. My horse, who up to that moment
was going on well, threw his forelegs far out, and came to a dead stop.
In an instant the trick was palpable to my senses; and, in the heat of
my passion, I dashed in both spurs, and endeavoured to lift him by the
rein. Scarcely had I done so, when, as if the very ground beneath had
jerked us upwards, he sprang into the air, dashing his head forward
between the forelegs, and throwing up his haunches behind, till I
thought we should come clean over in the somersault. I kept my seat,
however; and thinking that boldness alone could do at such a moment, I
only waited till he reached the ground, when I again drove the spurs up
to the rowels in his flanks. With a snort of passion he bounded madly
up, and pawing the air for some moments with his forelegs, lit upon the
earth, panting with rage, and trembling in every limb.

[Illustration: 305]

The shouts which now filled my ears seemed but like mockery and
derision; and stung almost to madness, I fixed myself in my seat, pulled
my cap upon my brows, and with clenched teeth gathered up the reins to
renew the conflict. There was a pause now for a few seconds; both horse
and man seemed to feel that there was a deadly strife before them, and
each seemed to collect his energy for the blow. The moment came; and
driving in the spurs with all my force, I struck him with the whip
between the ears. With something like a yell, the savage animal sprang
into the air, writhing his body like a fish. Bound after bound he made,
as though goaded on to madness; and, at length, after several fruitless
efforts to unseat me, he dashed straight upwards, struck out with his
forelegs, poised for a second or two, and then with a crash fell back
upon me, rolling me to the ground, bruised, stunned, and sen