time to read it before he commenced to ask
questions apropos of the place, to get me to say what the letter was
about. He is a curious man.

"Carruthers is a capital fellow, they tell me--er. You had better ask
him over quietly, Katherine, if he is all alone at Branches"--this with
one eye on me in a questioning way.

I remained silent.

"Perhaps he is off to London, though?"

I pretended to be busy with my coffee.

"Best pheasant-shoot in the county, and a close borough under the old
regime. Hope he will be more neighborly--Er--suppose he must shoot 'em
before November?"

I buttered my toast.

Then the "burrrrs" began. I wonder he does not have a noise that ends
with d--n simply. It would save him time.

"Couldn't help seeing your letter was from Branches. Hope Carruthers
gives you some news?"

As he addressed me deliberately, I was obliged to answer:

"I have no information. It is only a business letter," and I ate toast
again.

He "burrred" more than ever, and opened some of his own correspondence.

"What am I to do, Katherine," he said, presently--"that confounded
fellow Campion has thrown me over for next week, and he is my best gun?
At short notice like this, it's impossible to replace him with the same
class of shot."

"Yes, dear," said Lady Katherine, in that kind of voice that has not
heard the question. She was deep in her own letters.

"Katherine!" roared Mr. Montgomerie. "Will you listen when I
speak--burrrr!" and he thumped his fist on the table.

Poor Lady Katherine almost jumped, and the china rattled.

"Forgive me, Anderson," she said, humbly; "you were saying----?"

"Campion has thrown me over," glared Mr. Montgomerie.

"Then I have perhaps the very thing for you," Lady Katherine said, in a
relieved way, returning to her letters. "Sophia Merrenden writes this
morning, and among other things tells me of her nephew, Lord Robert
Vavasour--you know, Torquilstone's half-brother. She says he is the most
charming young man and a wonderful shot--she even suggests" (looking
back a page), "that he might be useful to us, if we are short of a gun."

"Damned kind of her!" growled Mr. Montgomerie.

I hope they did not notice, but I had suddenly such a thrill of pleasure
that I am sure my cheeks got red. I felt frightfully excited to hear
what was going to happen.

"Merrenden, as you know, is the best judge of shooting in England," Lady
Katherine went on, in an injured voice. "Sophia is hard