SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



covered over set Mr. Gray thinking : until with an 

 illumined mind he grasped the situation. " Smith, 



you d d scoundrel ! you've had me poaching ! 



That's no more your place than it's mine. By God! 

 if I'd been caught I'd have shot you ! " Smith 

 would not admit the accusation. " Nonsense, Jim, 

 I wouldn't think of such a thing." But none the 

 less poaching they had been, and I have no doubt 

 but that the keepers had been squared to be deaf 

 for a brief period. 



Another tale of Mr. Smith and a shooting incident 

 may conveniently be placed here. One autumnal 

 Saturday Mr. Carew (the lord of the manor at 

 Epsom) had a shooting party, of which I was 

 to form a unit. I was rather late, and meeting 

 Smith on the road (he was not shooting that day) 

 we walked on together. Somehow in our search 

 for the others we got into an awkward corner, 

 thick-set with trees. It was dangerous to move, 

 as, though nobody could be seen, the guns were at 

 work all round us. At a moment when I was least 

 prepared the game rushed all our way, and I fired 

 without taking particular aim. 



" Good God ! " said Smith. " You've shot a fox ! " 



So I had, for there was Master Beynard on his 



haunches, with open, gasping mouth — and then 



dead. 



116 



