"There goes your knight, Esther," I cried. "Now, if only he would have an accident, and we could take him in and nurse him, it would be like one of your story-books. Let us will him to fall down--shall we?" But Esther seemed not to have heard me. She had drawn back suddenly into the shadow of the room. The young rider had caught sight of us, and was looking up. For the moment he was evidently not thinking of the hunt, for his sideways gaze was a long, direct one. Then I saw that Esther was blushing hotly all over her dark face, and her eyes had sunk under her long soft lashes. "I am afraid he heard your voice, Hilda dear," she murmured; and then her eyes flashed out again with sudden horror and fear. Startled, I looked in the direction of her glance. There, where the young rider had been flashing along in the run downhill, lay the horse kicking and struggling, and a space in front of him the huddled-up figure of his master. Some of the other hunters were off their horses, and running and shouting, but nearest of all were our two brothers, who in a second of time had reached the prostrate man. Then a group of men hid all from our sight; but in a second or two we saw that they had lifted the young man, and had laid him on a space of sward. I looked round at Esther. Her eyes were wide open, and she was deadly pale. "You're not going to faint?" I said. "No," she answered, and the colour came back to her cheeks and lips. "You don't think he's dead, Hilda?" "I hope not. Dr. Rivers is there, fortunately. Come and we will see what has happened. Someone will tell us." "Yes," said Esther. "Come and see. Of course he must be taken to Brandon." "Unless he is near his own home," I suggested. Esther looked at me almost angrily. "He must be taken to Brandon," she said again. She went out with an air that might have been Aline's own. No one would have thought that she was the younger sister, as I humbly followed her. She went up to the little group that stood about the fallen man, and though everyone turned to look at her, she did not seem to notice them. "I hope he is not very much hurt, Dr. Rivers," she said. "Of course you will carry him into the house at once." The doctor lifted his hat "I'm afraid there's a concussion of the brain--he was flung on his head--but I can't examine him properly here. Thank you, Miss Brandon. Of course the best thing would be to get him indoors at once. Your brother has kindly offered the poor fellow the hospitality of your house." Esther turned to Hugh, who was standing by. "Run in quickly," she said, "and tell Aline we are coming."