John Leech and other papers

374 Horce Subsecivce.
secret of this was his truth and his pluck, his kindli-
ness and his constancy. Other noblemen put on the
kilt at the season, and do their best to embrown
their smooth knees for six weeks, returning them to
trousers and to town ; he lived in his kilt all the year
long, and often slept soundly in it and his plaid
among the brackens ; and not sparing himself, he
spared none of his men or friends, — it was the rigour
of the game, — it was Devil take the hindmost. Up
at all hours, out all day and all night, often without
food, — with nothing but the unfailing pipe, — there
he was, stalking the deer in Glen Tilt or across the
Gaick moors, or rousing before daybreak the un-
daunted otter among the alders of the Earn, the Isla,
or the Almond ; and if in his pursuit, which was fell
as any hound's, he got his hand into the otter's grip,
and had its keen teeth meeting in his palm, he let it
have its will till the pack came up, — no flinching,
almost as if without the sense of pain. It was this
gameness and thoroughness in whatever he was
about that charmed his people, — charmed his very
dogs; and so it should. 1
1 Many years ago, when Lord Glenlyon, he was riding in a
hurdle race on the North Inch, when somehow his spectacles
(he was very shortsighted) fell off, and in taking the first leap
he and his horse fell heavily. Up he was and on again and
away, winning in spite of his lost time, and taking his hurdles
'like a lord.' His right arm was observed to hang useless,
and so it might, for he had broken his collar-bone.