nts entailed. Catch this
thing somehow he must. Were not his comrades looking on? Did not the very
silence of the Over-Lord seem to demand of him his very best? There
appeared, however, to be no getting level with this animal of surprising
fleetness of foot, that seemed to glide over the ground with perfect
ease, and that responded gamely to every effort that he made.

The group of lookers-on watched the more intently. Now the hare by a
clever turn increased her lead; then once again the dog made good the
ground lost. The hare had come back by this time almost to the
starting-point. Closer and closer drew the dog: the hare seemed to be
swaying in her stride. The dog's tongue was out at any length, and his
pant was clearly audible. Once again the hare doubled, and the dogs with
the Over-Lord gave tongue, as though they cheered their comrade. Then
with a fling and a dash Murphy was into it: there was a scuffle in the
snow, and the next instant the young dog was seen to be holding the hare
down.

Making his way to the two, taking the dogs upon leash and thong short by
the head, and keeping them back by the free use of his feet, the
Over-Lord seized the hare and rescued it; Murphy being too beat now to do
more than lie stretched out, panting.

"Well, I'm...!"--The Over-Lord was passing a hand as well as he could
over the frightened hare, holding it high to his chest.--"Run to a
standstill, and not so much as harmed. Well, I'm...!"

He had let go the other dogs now. They were barking and jumping round
him, and to avoid risk he was covering up the hare beneath his coat. His
face was a study as he looked at Murphy lying in the snow. No fault was
to be found with the dog; that was very certain. He had been given an
opportunity of showing what he could do. The snow had equalised the race.
And this was the end--the hare not hurt at all. He would look again at
her presently. It had been a pretty sight: Nature's working; no real
cruelty in any of it. Such were the thoughts that were passing in the
tall man's mind.

All turned homeward after that, the Over-Lord's feet scrunching the snow
as he took great strides, a smile lighting up his face. Four of his dogs
were close to his heels, as though they expected something; a yard or two
behind followed a younger one, with his tongue out level with his chest.

* * * * *

Later on in the day, when all the dogs were kennelled up, the Over-L