The yellow paradise plume and bright-blue dress made a glowing spot of color on the brown, ploughed field.

Miss Springle tripped gayly along in front with Mr. Dodd, coquettishly tapping him on the arm and looking up in his face.

Giggles of laughter were wafted back to us.  Miss Springle is a rather pretty girl, with thick black hair.

Antony strode forward and joined us.  Augustus dropped behind to speak to Wilks.

“You must stand with me,” Antony said, “I will protect you as well as I can, and the chances are against the shot coming my way twice in one day.”

He was so gay.  Never have I had so delightful a walk.  I cannot write down what he said.  If I try to remember his words, I cannot.  It is the general impression they leave behind, rather than any actual sentence I can recall, which makes me feel his wit is like grandmamma’s, and it reveals all the time his great knowledge of books, and people, and the world.  And there is a lightness which makes one feel how strong and deep must be the under-current.

My spirits always rise when I am with him.

Soon we arrived at the hedge we were to stand behind.

It was all new to me, the whole scene.  Out of nowhere Antony’s servant seemed to spring with two guns and a stick-seat, which he arranged for me.

Mrs. Dodd had panted after her husband and Miss Springle, who were in the most open place; but Wilks was unable to contain himself with annoyance at this.

“Not a bird will face the line if the lady’s dress is seen,” he said, in despair, as he passed us, and we saw him unceremoniously insist upon Mrs. Dodd joining Sir Samuel Wakely, who was at the thickest corner, next us.

“The air must be black with the language Wakely is using, I will bet,” said Antony.

And then the partridges began to come.

“There’s a burrd!  There’s a burrd!” shouted Mr. Dodd, excitedly, pointing with his gun straight at Sir Samuel’s head.

“Damn you, sir!” yelled Sir Samuel back to him.  “It is pure murder the way you hold your gun.”

“I’ll trouble you not to swear at my husband!” roared Mrs. Dodd.

A huge covey came over at the moment, but the voices and the bright-blue dress attracted their attention, and they all wheeled off to the right, so that, but for two stray birds killed by Antony, this end of the line found the drive a blank.

Augustus’s rage knew no bounds.

He came up to me as if it was my fault.

“Take that old woman home this moment, Ambrosine,” he said, furiously.  “Do you hear?—­this minute!” and I was obliged to go up to Mrs. Dodd and suggest our returning.  I was tired, I said.

“I’ll not leave Wullie with that minx,” she replied, firmly.  “You can go without me, Mrs. Gussie.  I’ll not take it rude of you at all.”  I tried to explain that I thought we were all a little in the way and had better return to the house; but Miss Springle, who joined us, would not hear of such a thing.