art as an affront to be avenged. As he
drank his wine, courage, the want of which was, in his more sober
moments, a check upon his bad temper, began to inflame his malignity,
and he ventured upon several occasions to show his spleen, by
contradicting Tyrrel more flatly than good manners permitted upon so
short an acquaintance, and without any provocation. Tyrrel saw his ill
humour and despised it, as that of an overgrown schoolboy, whom it was
not worth his while to answer according to his folly.

One of the apparent causes of the Baronet's rudeness was indeed childish
enough. The company were talking of shooting, the most animating topic
of conversation among Scottish country gentlemen of the younger class,
and Tyrrel had mentioned something of a favourite setter, an uncommonly
handsome dog, from which he had been for some time separated, but which
he expected would rejoin him in the course of next week.

"A setter!" retorted Sir Bingo, with a sneer; "a pointer I suppose you
mean?"

"No, sir," said Tyrrel; "I am perfectly aware of the difference betwixt
a setter and a pointer, and I know the old-fashioned setter is become
unfashionable among modern sportsmen. But I love my dog as a companion,
as well as for his merits in the field; and a setter is more sagacious,
more attached, and fitter for his place on the hearth-rug, than a
pointer--not," he added, "from any deficiency of intellects on the
pointer's part, but he is generally so abused while in the management of
brutal breakers and grooms, that he loses all excepting his professional
accomplishments, of finding and standing steady to game."

"And who the d----l desires he should have more?" said Sir Bingo.

"Many people, Sir Bingo," replied Tyrrel, "have been of opinion, that
both dogs and men may follow sport indifferently well, though they do
happen, at the same time, to be fit for mixing in friendly intercourse
in society."

"That is for licking trenchers, and scratching copper, I suppose," said
the Baronet, _sotto voce_; and added, in a louder and more distinct
tone,--"He never before heard that a setter was fit to follow any man's
heels but a poacher's."

"You know it now then, Sir Bingo," answered Tyrrel; "and I hope you will
not fall into so great a mistake again."

The Peace-maker here seemed to think his interference necessary, and,
surmounting his tactiturnity, made the following pithy speech:--"By Cot!
and do you see, as you are looking for my op