A TERRIBLE HOUR 75 



restrained her from exposing herself to view of 

 man and dog. So there she stayed, eyeing 

 the timid prey which met her gaze with a 

 frightened stare. Presently the man left with 

 his donkeys. Now surely the otter would try 

 and secure the prize. But no, she was in no 

 hurry ; the sun would soon be down, then she 

 would secure him. 



In that tense interval the hare again re- 

 hearsed, as he had done half a score times since 

 he had been face to face with his enemy, the 

 steps of his escape. The first leap he reckoned 

 would land him on the far side of the islet, the 

 next on the rock, a third in the water, on recol- 

 lection of the depth of which he endured the 

 agonies of a nightmare as in imagination he 

 saw the ferocious brute overtaking him while 

 he floundered ; but the feeling passed, leaving 

 him as undaunted as ever and determined to 

 make a supreme effort to escape. 



By this the sun approached the level of the 

 moor ; the gulls had left ; the cormorant, which 

 had stood and dried its wings on the rock, flew 

 low over the lurid surface of the pool, looking 

 black as the raven against the crimson disc : 

 the actors in the impending tragedy were left 

 absolutely alone. Soon, less than half the great 

 orb remained above the horizon ; in a few 



