Though a keen sportsman himself, he did not specially like Lord Rufford,--a fact which had been very well known to Mrs.Masters.
But, nevertheless, this threatened action against the nobleman was distasteful to him.

It was not a hunting affair, or Mr.Twentyman could not have doubted for a moment.

It was a shooting difficulty, and as Mr.Twentyman had never been asked to fire a gun on the Rufford preserves, it was no great sorrow to him that there should be such a difficulty.

But the thing threatened was an attack upon the country gentry and their amusements, and Mr.Twentyman was a country gentleman who followed sport.

Upon the whole his sympathies were with Lord Rufford.
"The man is an utter blackguard, you know," said Larry.