A Sportsman at Large 179 



change Hotel, the Duke of Leeds being in the Chair. There 

 were present all the leading lights of the coursing world, 

 with the exception, strange to say, of Lord Sefton, who, so 

 I was given to understand, was the attacker of my honour. 



It was decided that Mathews could not be admitted, either 

 in a legal or a lay capacity ; so I had to conduct my own 

 defence. The noble chairman was courtesy itself, and 

 motioned me to a chair on his left hand. I was prepared for 

 Beattie giving a garbled account of the transaction, and I 

 was not disappointed. Lord Sefton's trainer, too, made 

 himself objectionable, though he owed me a small debt of 

 gratitude.* Sir Robert Jardine himself was non-committal, 

 but Humphrey, Hoad and others cleared the atmosphere, 

 whilst the Hibernian contingent was alert for " wigs on the 

 green." I was asked to withdraw, but was not kept long in 

 suspense. 



On my return His Grace of Leeds announced that the 

 finding of the Committee was, that I had had no intention of 

 contravening the rules of coursing, or of acting in any way 

 dishonourably ; but that I had been very indiscreet. 



Now this decision has caused me ceaseless annoyance ; 

 because I fail to see where the " indiscretion " comes in ; 

 for I was only pursuing a very ordinary practice, and one 

 entirely in conformity with the rules of the N.C.C. Had the 

 Committee decided that I had, in fact, offered Beattie a 

 personal bribe, behind his employer's back, it would have 

 been a different pair of shoes altogether, and I should have 

 richly deserved " warning off ; " but evidently they jetti- 

 soned any such idea, which left me with a perfectly clean 

 sheet. Then why " very indiscreet ? " 



' Willie " Mathew's journey to Liverpool was abortive, 

 but methinks his presence outside the door w r as of decided 

 moral value to my cause. 



So the storm in a teacup subsided, and I went to the draw 

 in fairly good heart. By the time the calling of the card was 

 commenced, the hearty congratulations of my numerous 

 friends and an excellent banquet quite restored me to my 

 normal humour. 



* See p. 184. 



12* 



