i6 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



The gentlemen bowed, and then Mr. Binkie, giving a sHght 

 preliminary cough, sat down on the extreme edge of one of 

 the gorgeous satin-covered chairs, put both his fat little paws 

 on his knees, and said abruptly, and apropos of nothing — 

 " Would you like to see my pictures ? " 



Mr. Yarboro looked slightly embarrassed for a second. Then 

 he said, in genial tones, that he " should be delighted to do so, 

 some day;" whereupon Mr. Binkie's supply of conversation 

 incontinently dried up, for the nonce. 



Mrs. Binkie once more settled on the line of the district 

 notabilities, and quickly got to work again on the affable 

 Parson, who gave her every information in his power, and 

 all with a look of infinite amusement on his face. 



Presently tea was brought in, and, warmed by the cup 

 which cheers but not inebriates, Septimus again ventured 

 on giving tongue. 



" Great hunting district, this, sir," he observed, dropping 

 his spoon on the floor. 



"It is, I am glad to say," responded the reverend gentle- 

 man cheerfully. "I hope, Mr. Binkie, that you yourself are 

 a sportsman? " 



Before the modest Septimus could put forth a disclaimer, 

 his better half struck in with — ■ 



"Of course he is. That is, he enjoys all kinds of sports, 

 though he doesn't exactly go out to ride after the dogs — 

 hounds, I should say. But sport ! why I should think he did 

 like sport ! You should have seen him, twenty years ago, in 

 a skittle alley ! As to the knock-'em-downs, why, when we 

 were first married he'd come home with a regular armful 

 of cocoanuts." 



