g upper lip; but
there was a manliness about his face which redeemed it. Sport was the
business of his life, and he thoroughly despised all who were not
sportsmen. He fished and shot and hunted during nine or ten months
of the year, filling up his time as best he might with coaching polo,
and pigeon-shooting. He regarded it as a great duty to keep his
body in the firmest possible condition. All his eating and all his
drinking was done upon a system, and he would consider himself to
be guilty of weak self-indulgence were he to allow himself to break
through sanitary rules. But it never occurred to him that his whole
life was one of self-indulgence. He could walk his thirty miles with
his gun on his shoulder as well now as he could ten years ago; and
being sure of this, was thoroughly contented with himself. He had a
patrimony amounting to perhaps L1000 a year, which he husbanded so as
to enjoy all his amusements to perfection. No one had ever heard of
his sponging on his friends. Of money he rarely spoke, sport being
in his estimation the only subject worthy of a man's words. Such was
Reginald Dobbes, who was now to be the master of the shooting at
Crummie-Toddie.

Crummie-Toddie was but twelve miles from Killancodlem, Mrs. Montacute
Jones's highland seat; and it was this vicinity which first induced
Lord Silverbridge to join the party. Mabel Grex was to be at
Killancodlem, and, determined as he still was to ask her to be his
wife, he would make this his opportunity. Of real opportunity there
had been none at Richmond. Since he had had his ring altered and had
sent it to her there had come but a word or two of answer. "What am
I to say? You unkindest of men! To keep it or to send it back would
make me equally miserable. I shall keep it till you are married, and
then give it to your wife." This affair of the ring had made him more
intent than ever. After that he heard that Isabel Boncassen would
also be at Killancodlem, having been induced to join Mrs. Montacute
Jones's swarm of visitors. Though he was dangerously devoid of
experience, still he felt that this was unfortunate. He intended to
marry Mabel Grex. And he could assure himself that he thoroughly
loved her. Nevertheless he liked making love to Isabel Boncassen. He
was quite willing to marry and settle down, and looked forward with
satisfaction to having Mabel Grex for his wife. But it would be
pleasant to have a six-months run of flirting and love-making before