178 The Grouse Family 



" There he is now ! " exclaimed somebody, 

 whereupon the colonel at once rose and, looking 

 very wise, signed for me to follow him into a 

 private room. He tapped the table, muttered 

 " Sit down," and then took his stand directly in 

 front. He was good to look at, the colonel was. 

 Full six feet three, and powerfully built, he 

 carried himself with that military back which 

 some old warriors never lose. His long, snow- 

 white hair, mustache, and imperial suggested the 

 South, which was his home, while the keen black 

 eyes and clean-cut, extraordinarily handsome fea- 

 tures stamped him as one of F.F.V.'s. Nor did 

 his appearance belie him, for the colonel was one 

 of the genuine old fire-eating, high-bred lot. 



" I've matched you, suh," he began, in a deep 



voice, " to shoot against young M in the field, 



any game recognized as such to count. It's to be 

 a fa-ah, squa-ah, gentlemanly contest, and the best 

 man is to win. Have I done right, suh ? — I 

 couldn't send you word." 



" But, Colonel, — "I began, then hesitated, for 

 his bronzed face was perceptibly flushing and the 

 snowy mustache was beginning to bristle in an 

 extraordinary manner. 



" Well, suh ? — Do you desiah to — to — back 

 out?" 



Something in the slight emphasis upon the 

 final words was pregnant with unpleasant possi- 



