I am rather a quick hand myself when there is any shooting to be done.

However, there was no trouble here, but the contrary; the Blue Mountaineers--it sounds like a new sort of Bond Street band, doesn't it ?--treated me in quite a different way than they did when I first met them.

They were amazingly civil, almost deferential.

But, all time same, they were more distant than ever, and all the time I was there I could get not a whit closer to them.
They seemed in a sort of way to be afraid or in awe of me.

No doubt that will soon pass away, and when we know one another better we shall become close friends.