"Home again, at last!" he thought. "Warren's death has brought us together again; once at Hazelwell he will not leave it."
Warren Courtly was buried in Anselm church, in the vault where several of his ancestors reposed; and Irene was a widow, having been only a very short time a wife, and that only in name.
It was a shock to the county, and the members of the Rushshire Hunt in particular, and it was generally acknowledged Warren's rashness at attempting such a leap caused his early death.
Ulick and the Squire examined the wall where the grey and his rider were killed, and the latter said—
"I wonder what made him attempt it? As a rule he was not rash."
Ulick explained what had happened, and how Warren had dared him to follow him.
"I wonder sometimes if he was angry because Irene lent me Random to ride, and that caused him to act as he did."
"I should not be disposed to look at it in that light," answered his father. "He may have been surprised to see you out, more especially on Random; but there was no harm in your riding him. There was something else at the bottom of the challenge he threw out to you. Did you ever doubt his courage?"
"If I did, he was unaware of it," was the answer.
"Then it must have been in a sudden fit of rashness he did it," said the Squire.