322 PHEASANTS 



leged association of bachelors who dwell 

 without the land of butts and beaters 

 whose voice had been audible in the 

 earlier stages of the drive, protesting 

 against this unwonted invasion of his 

 chosen home and sanctuary, accompanies 

 a hen pheasant in the passage perilous. 

 Both fall together, and the heart rejoiceth 

 over an unusual right and left. 



To the stalwart Murray as he comes 

 in with his beaters : ' You worked them 

 splendidly, one couldn't wish for a better 

 rise of pheasants ! ' ' A'm glad you're 

 pleased,' answers simply the laconic Scot. 



Next morning a tearing north-easter 

 with squalls of sleet and rain : inhuman 

 alike to man and bird to ask the beaters 

 to rouse the reluctant pheasant in the 

 dripping woods. With noon came a 

 break in the sky, and some of the 

 younger members of the party with a 

 few of the sturdiest beaters took the hill ; 

 an extemporized drive through a blown- 

 out wood for black game and roe, another 



