A DAY AT THE GREAT LOCH. 1.89 



often do neither, to say nothing of their inability 

 to ride well to hounds, or deftly land a salmon as 

 women will often do, is it not so, Mrs. Peyton ? " 



" Oh, dear ! you become too flattering ; besides, 

 we never EXCEL men in anything." 



" Often, and in many things, Mrs. Peyton. Why, 

 you remember this morning admiring the wild 

 picturesque look of the Highland cattle on the 

 hill-side : who has painted them best ? Not an 

 English man nor a Scotch man, but a French woman ; 

 and Eosa Bonheur, even Landseer acknowledged, 

 had no equal in this. I might adduce plenty 

 other cases in many phases of life." 



" There is one accepted truism, Aunty," said 

 Ward, " that no lady can play whist. Suppose 

 you and I challenge the Major and Annie ? " 



" Oh, yes ; and help to remove his over-high 

 estimate of us women." 



So whist it was, and still the Major held to his 

 theories, declaring that Miss Peyton played like a 

 regular clubbist ; but I fear his judgment was far 

 from unbiassed, as we may see by-and-by. 



