The young man's words were full of the authoritative tone of one accustomed to command in emergencies; but his voice shook a little at the last, for he was oppressed by a deadly feeling of sickness which he fought hard to resist, while the group closed round him, and there was a low buzz of excitement through which came the trampling of other horses, as the grooms led them round from the stable yard. Tom Beck felt that he could hold out no longer. He had tried and manfully to combat the physical pain at a time when the mental was agonising, for he had seen the young baronet approach Isabel and whisper to her, and he had felt that any increase of the terrible grip would mean a horrible mutilation, and the utter blasting of his career and his hopes. Despair was combining with the sensation of faintness; and with the scene around him growing dim and the excited voices beginning to sound muffled and strange, nature was rapidly conquering the education of a brave man who had been schooled to face danger unmoved; he turned his eyes wildly to where Isabel stood. But that look moved her to spring forward, lay her hand on the mare's muzzle, and falter out vainly a few caressing words. Worse than vainly, for the mare lowered her head, and increased the sufferer's agony. "Don't," he whispered hoarsely. "Dana, I shall have to shoot her," cried Mr Elthorne hoarsely. Alison pressed forward, and passed his arm about his friend's waist, for he saw that he was ready to fall, and the morning's comedy was on the point of becoming tragic, when a loud neigh came from one of the horses being led around to the front, and Beck's hand fell from the mare's jaws, for she threw up her head and uttered a whinnying answer to the challenge of Mr Elthorne's new hunter, The Don. "Ah!" It was more a groan than a sigh of relief from all around, while, tightening her rein, Dana cut the mare across the ears with all her might; and as the graceful animal bounded forward, she kept on lashing it furiously, making it curvet and plunge and snort, as it excited the other horses near. "Don't! don't! Dana," cried her sister. "She'll throw you." "A vicious beast!--a vicious beast!" panted the girl, as she still plied her whip till Mr Elthorne caught her arm. Beck stood, half supported by Alison, watching Isabel being assisted into the breakfast-room by her aunt and Sir Cheltnam, till she disappeared, when he reeled slightly, but made an effort to recover himself. "Much hurt, old man?" "No," he said hoarsely; "a nasty grip. Tell that girl not to beat the mare. It was not wise." "Now, how is he?" cried Mr Elthorne, coming back. "Help him in. Send one of the grooms for the doctor." "No, no, sir," said Beck, with a faint laugh, as he held up the hand deeply indented by the mare's teeth. "It's nothing to mind. Shan't be a one-armed Greenwich pensioner this time."