A GAMEKEEPER OF THE OLD SCHOOL 37 



him, fully six feet in height, and of an upright and 

 soldierly carriage. He wore a fringe of iron-grey 

 side-whiskers around his face, which, together with 

 his hands, was tanned, from constant exposure, to a 

 deep brown colour. His eyes were of a yellowish- 

 grey hue, and wore a far-off, somewhat pained expres- 

 sion ; and when he was talking to you they never 

 seemed to see any object nearer than the horizon line 

 some three miles distant. Even at the end of the 

 day, when our basket of trout had been displayed for 

 his admiration, and his right hand was mechanically, 

 and apparently unconsciously, thrust slightly for- 

 ward, palm uppermost, it was difficult to believe 

 that his mind was concentrated on any object within 

 that three-mile radius. He usually spoke through 

 his teeth in a monotonous voice, as though some 

 unseen agency were squeezing the words out under 

 a high pressure, and it gave one the distinct im- 

 pression that the operation was painful. 



Burnside took an enormous pride in Lochinvar: 

 I am sure he believed it to be one of the best lochs 

 in Scotland ; consequently, he would never allow 

 that it was a good fishing day, lest you should have 

 bad sport, and so take away the only extenuating ex- 

 cuse which could be offered. When you arriv^ed at the 



