Mr.Stocks, who was about to explain the Haystoun pedigree, caught his host's eye and left the dangerous subject untouched.
"You said in your letters that they had been kind to you at this young man's place.

We must ask him down here to dinner, Alice.

Oh, and that reminds me I found a letter from him to-day asking me to shoot.

I don't go in for that sort of thing, but you young fellows had better try it." Mr.Stocks declined, said he had given it up.

Mr.Thompson said, "Upon my word I should like to," and privately vowed to forget the invitation.