Now, the black-hare superstition had already begun to intrigue me.
“Why does that interest you?” I asked.
The slow Scotch look was resumed with an effort.
“It’ll no interest me,” he said. “I just asked. There are unco many black hares in Achnaleish.”
Then his curiosity got the better of him.
“She’d have been nigh to where the road passes by and on to Achnaleish?” he asked.
“The hare? Yes, we found her on the road there.”
Sandie turned away.
“She aye sat there,” he said.
There were a number of little plantations climbing up the steep hill-side from Achnaleish to the moor above, and we had a pleasant slack sort of morning shooting there, walking through and round them with a nondescript tribe of beaters, among whom the serious Buxton figured. We had fair enough sport, but of the hares which Jim had seen in such profusion none that morning came to the gun, till at last, just before lunch, there came out of the apex of one of these plantations, some thirty yards from where Jim was standing, a very large, dark-coloured hare. For one moment I saw him hesitate—for he holds the correct view about long or doubtful shots at hares—then he put up his gun to fire. Sandie, who had walked round outside, after giving the beaters their instructions, was at this moment close to him, and with incredible quickness rushed upon him and with his stick struck up the barrels of the gun before he could fire.