rpose that the ladies of
the family had decided upon removing to the dower-house.

About a month after this there was a meet of the Brotherton Hunt, of
which Sir Simon Bolt was the master, at Cross Hall Gate. The
grandfather of the present Germains had in the early part of the
century either established this special pack, or at any rate become the
master of it. Previous to that the hunting probably had been somewhat
precarious; but there had been, since his time, a regular Brotherton
Hunt associated with a collar and button of its own,--a blue collar on
a red coat, with B. H. on the buttons,--and the thing had been done
well. They had four days a week, with an occasional bye, and 2500_l._
were subscribed annually. Sir Simon Bolt had been the master for the
last fifteen years, and was so well known that no sporting pen and no
sporting tongue in England ever called him more than Sir Simon. Cross
Hall Gate, a well-loved meet, was the gate of the big park which opened
out upon the road just opposite to Mr. Price's house. It was an old
stone structure, with a complicated arch stretching across the gate
itself, with a lodge on each side. It lay back in a semi-circle from
the road, and was very imposing. In old days no doubt the gate was much
used, as the direct traffic from London to Brotherton passed that way.
But the railway had killed the road; and as the nearer road from the
Manor Cross House to the town came out on the same road much nearer to
Brotherton, the two lodges and all the grandeur were very much wasted.
But it was a pretty site for a meet when the hounds were seated on
their haunches inside the gate, or moving about slowly after the
huntsman's horse, and when the horses and carriages were clustered
about on the high road and inside the park. And it was a meet, too,
much loved by the riding men. It was always presumed that Manor Cross
itself was preserved for foxes, and the hounds were carefully run
through the belt of woods. But half an hour did that, and then they
went away to Price's Little Holt. On that side there were no more
gentlemen's places; there was a gorse cover or two and sundry little
spinnies; but the county was a country for foxes to run and men to
ride; and with this before them, the members of the Brotherton Hunt
were pleased to be summoned to Cross Hall Gate.

On such occasions Lord George was always there. He never hunted, and
very rarely went to any other meet; but on these occasions he wou