146 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



"Here he stopped, with the words 'Query, look out 

 mate in Johnson ; fear it won't do for partner at a ball. 

 Implies partner for life, and that can't be. The devil 

 take '" 



" Well, really, Mr. Egerton," said Lady Charlotte, " this 

 farrago of nonsense is almost laughable. However, al- 

 though, no doubt, another term at Christchurch will cure 

 him of his ' love at first sight,' still, I wish you would talk 

 seriously to him on the subject, and warn him of the con- 

 sequences of indulging a guilty passion." 



"That I will certainly do," replied Mr. Egerton, "at 

 the first convenient opportunity ; and also tell him not to 

 indulge in the sudden inspiration of his muse, unless he 

 can turn it to a better account. I think, however, I know 

 your son well enough to persuade myself that the present 

 outbreak is but the mere ebullition of youthful blood, and 

 that a little cool reflection will restore him to his senses. 

 First, his heart ran away with his tongue ; and then, his 

 tongue ran away with his heart." 



Not many hours elapsed before the wished-for oppor- 

 tunity arrived, during a stroll through the shrubberies, 

 for Mr. Egerton to fulfil the promise he had made to Lady 

 Charlotte ; which he did with both grace and feeling : 

 pointing out to Frank the folly, to say the least of it, of 

 this newly-born fancy, and requiring from him a pledge 

 that he would think no more of Mrs. Denham, further 

 than as a common acquaintance of the day ; nor continue 

 to mention her name so lightly as he had lately done. 

 This pledge Frank willingly gave, and a circumstance 

 shortly afterwards occurred to put the seal upon the same. 

 Mr. Denham's father died, in consequence of which he 

 removed his family to a distant part of England, and our 

 hero and the beautiful Mrs. Denham never met again. 



There is little more to record of the proceedings of the 

 long vacation, fishing and shooting being the principal 

 amusements of that period at all events, with young 

 men who, like Frank Raby, come under the denomination 

 of sportsmen. Relating to the last-named diversion, one 

 fact is worth mentioning : What is called flapper-shoot- 

 ing was amongst the sports entered into with spirit by 

 our hero, and, what is very rarely the case, it was not, in 

 this instance, merely confined to young wild ducks. The 

 great lake in the park, at Amstead, was also frequented by 

 teals, which bred in one of its islands in the summer, a 



