I took the draft, saw that it was correct though rather illegible, and proceeded to dry it by waving it in the air.  As I did so it came into my mind that I would not touch the money of this successful scamp, won back from him in such a way.

Yielding to a perhaps foolish impulse, I said: 

“Lord Ragnall, this cheque is for a debt which years ago I wrote off as lost.  At luncheon to-day you were talking of a Cottage Hospital for which you are trying to get up an endowment fund in this neighbourhood, and in answer to a question from you Sir Junius Fortescue said that he had not as yet made any subscription to its fund.  Will you allow me to hand you Sir Junius’s subscription—­to be entered in his name, if you please?” And I passed him the cheque, which was drawn to myself or bearer.

He looked at the amount, and seeing that it was not L5, but L250, flushed, then asked: 

“What do you say to this act of generosity on the part of Mr. Quatermain, Sir Junius?”

There was no answer, because Sir Junius had gone.  I never saw him again, for years ago the poor man died quite disgraced.  His passion for semi-fraudulent speculations reasserted itself, and he became a bankrupt in conditions which caused him to leave the country for America, where he was killed in a railway accident while travelling as an immigrant.  I have heard, however, that he was not asked to shoot at Ragnall any more.

The cheque was passed to the credit of the Cottage Hospital, but not, as I had requested, as a subscription from Sir Junius Fortescue.  A couple of years later, indeed, I learned that this sum of money was used to build a little room in that institution to accommodate sick children, which room was named the Allan Quatermain ward.

Now, I have told this story of that December shoot because it was the beginning of my long and close friendship with Ragnall.

When he found that Van Koop had gone away without saying good-bye, Lord Ragnall made no remark.  Only he took my hand and shook it.

I have only to add that, although, except for the element of competition which entered into it, I enjoyed this day’s shooting very much indeed, when I came to count up its cost I felt glad that I had not been asked to any more such entertainments.  Here it is, taken from an old note-book: 

     Cartridges, including those not used and given to Charles L4 0 0
     Game License 3 0 0
     Tip to Red Waistcoat (keeper) 2 0 0
     Tip to Charles 0 10 0
     Tip to man who helped Charles to find pheasant 0 5 0
     Tip to man who collected pheasants behind me 0 10 0
     ---------
          L10 5 0
     ---------

Truly pheasant shooting in England is, or was, a sport for the rich!