Hunting in the Golden Days. 95 



bery to disengage himself, and in some way save this 

 lady's good name and his own from idle slander. 



In a moment an idea strikes him. He joins heartily 

 in the laugh, and says, 



" Sir John, you have spoilt a good thing. Miss Janet 

 and I have been arranging to give the inmates of 

 Buckskin Hall a little surprise in the way of a play ; and, 

 as you know, this requires a great deal of practise ; but 

 you have unfortunately come upon us during our 

 rehearsal. You will not, however, I trust, mention this 

 matter to the household until we are prepared to give 

 the performance, for, as you know, the only way to 

 make amateur theatricals succeed is to keep the 

 preparations for them a dead secret. 



Sir John laughingly answers that he will not disclose 

 their little plot to the others, and Miss Janet, having 

 been discovered in so foolish a position, deems it prudent, 

 under the circumstances, to say nothing for the present, 

 preferring to let matters take their course. 



