2 FARLEY, 1914 



me in all these deeds of derring-do on enchanting 

 Erchless and beloved Farley. If her kilts have 

 been wonderful, her walking has been more so, 

 and I am sure if she could be persuaded to take 

 the rifle her shooting would be more wonderful 

 still, as in practice at the target she placed her 

 shots with unerring precision on the bull's-eye, 

 and made a better score than either Boy or me. 

 Roy is a first-class rifle-shot, and some days I can 

 shoot straight alas ! only some some days I can 

 miss with the best of them; but this first year I 

 was in great form. However, this is a digression 

 the first of many, so like stalking, which some 

 days seems all digressions but let us return to our 

 stags. Perhaps it would be better to say a few 

 words first about ourselves and our lair. We are 

 none of us young, but we are not very old, and 

 not very plain, and we are quite prepared to tarry 

 again and again, in sunshine or snow, in storm or 

 shine, for the stags we love so well. We are rather 

 inclined to be dressy, and Sally Susan of Soda 

 says I am more cut out for a chef or a valet than a 

 stalker once more agreed; it is much less painful 

 than arguing with her. We are both nearer 

 sixty than fifty, so we are prouder of these 

 wondrous years from a pedestrian than a stalking 

 point of view and that's enough about the hero 

 and the heroine. 



Dear old Merton Barker, the other rifle on 

 this first auspicious occasion, is certainly one of 



