156 HIGHLAND SPORT 



dining-room, to which he rephed, " Oh, never mind, Colonel, we 

 can all get on very well here " ; and throwing himself into the 

 most comfortable arm-chair, of which there were only two, he 

 pulled out a cigar-case covered with an enormous silver mono- 

 gram, and lit up. 



Somehow or other we had each taken a violent dislike to 

 the bridegroom, so the evening hung heavy, while talk became 

 constrained. On the plea of being fresh for the exertions of 

 the morrow, Auldjoe and I beat an early retreat. Then the 

 next day the thoughts of the sport to come induced us all to 

 reassemble in a good humour. 



Spiller appeared last at the breakfast-table, clad in a new suit 

 of startling, loud, ill-fitting knickerbockers. He had brand-new 

 boots, a brand-new gun, brand-new cartridge bags, and while 

 instructing his gillie to take care of a very long snow-white 

 mackintosh that had also never seen service, he was busily 

 engaged in pushing a hand into a most immaculate lavender 

 kid glove. Auldjoe had appeared at the morning meal in the 

 pepper-and-salt suit that he had arrived in, and I had been 

 wondering how long he would take to change it, and what 

 would be the result, when to my astonishment he came into 

 the hall, picked up his gun, placed a beautifully-brushed, tall 

 black silk hat on his head, while announcing that he was ready 

 to start. 



The Colonel whispered to me, "The get-up of those two 

 fellows beats anything I've ever seen. You and I will shoot 

 together to-day, so we will let the old crow go with the peacock 

 and see what they can do together." 



Now, Monnielack Lodge was built right on the moor, with 

 the grouse literally at the door, so thus as the two parties 

 divided they were quickly far apart. The Colonel's dogs did 

 not belie their looks, while it was soon easy to see that their 

 master was not only a very good shot, but also a very good 

 sportsman, in whose company it was a pleasure to shoot. A 

 most enjoyable day was passed, and we reached home with 



