THE BLACKLEG KEEPER. 209 



person could so thoroughly appreciate the tempting oppor- 

 tunities which must arise day after day. That keepers 

 themselves are sometimes the worst of depredators must 

 be admitted. Hitherto I have chiefly described the course 

 of action followed by honest and conscientious men, truly 

 anxious for their employers' interests, and taking a personal 

 pride in a successful shooting season. But there exists a 

 class of keepers of a very different order, who have done 

 much to bring sport itself into unmerited odium. 



The blackleg keeper is often a man of some natural 

 ability — a plausible, obsequious rascal, quick in detecting 

 the weak points of his employer's character, and in practis- 

 ing upon and distorting what were originally generous 

 impulses. His game mainly depends upon gaining the 

 entire confidence of his master ; and, not being embar- 

 rassed by considerations of self-esteem, he is not choice 

 in the use of means to that end. He knows that if he 

 can thoroughly worm himself into his employer's good 

 opinion, the unfavourable reports which may be set afloat 

 against him will be regarded as the mere tittle-tattle of 

 envy ; for it is often an amiable weakness on the part 

 of masters who are really attached to their servants to 

 maintain a kind of partisanship on behalf of those whom 

 they have once trusted. 



Such a servant finds plentiful occasions for dexterously 



gratifying the love of admiration innate in us all. The 



manliest athlete and frankest amateur — who would blush 



P 



