Archie was in some degree afraid of his brother, and never offered to make any bets with him.

Hugh had once put a stop to this altogether.

"Archie," he had said, "pray understand that there is no money to be made out of me, at any rate not by you.

If you lost money to me, you wouldn't think it necessary to pay; and I certainly shall lose none to you." The habit of proposing to bet had become with Archie so much a matter of course, that he did not generally intend any real speculation by his offers; but with his brother he had dropped even the habit.

And he seldom began any conversation with Hugh unless he had some point to gain--an advance of money to ask, or some favor to beg in the way of shooting, or the loan of a horse.