A YOUNG HUNTING LADY. 23 



returned by the path they had come, stopping by the 

 way to empty the flask and finish the sandwiches. 



Whether the old gentleman derived much benefit 

 from his sporting expeditions need not be considered in 

 the present sketch, but even to Miss Kitty's unsophisti- 

 cated nature it soon became evident that this was not 

 the genuine thing. 



Kitty, I may take this opportunity of remarking, is 

 by no means an unattractive girl, and looks especially 

 neat when her figure is displayed by a fairly well-fitting 

 habit, while her cheeks are rosy and her eyes bright 

 from the effects of exercise, and her abundant black- 

 brown hair is bundled up so as to tilt her hat rather 

 over her forehead, whereby an aspect of considerable 

 knowingness is imparted to her; for every observant 

 man is aware that the widest variation of expression 

 may be obtained by different methods of wearing a hat. 

 It is difficult, to the verge of impossibility, to look fierce, 

 dignified, or wise, with the hat on the back of the head 

 at an acute angle with the line of the nose, and far from 

 easy to avoid an appearance of rakishness if the head- 

 gear be put on so as to slant over the ear. Probably 

 Miss Kitty was not unacquainted with these scientific 

 facts, and acted accordingly. 



Her riding is not now all that it might be as regards 

 seat, albeit much better than it was in that not unim- 

 portant condition of equestrianism — remaining in the 

 saddle; but as regards hands, so far as riding goes, 

 Kitty has none. In these early days, however, we were 



