VIII 



The Phantom Roebuck of the 

 Dismal Pool 



I AM not superstitious far from it ! I have 

 never been a believer in either ghosts or 

 goblins, wraiths or apparitions ; and nothing 

 of that kind had ever troubled me, until but there-! 

 let me begin the story from the beginning. 



I was staying at L , a castle in Bohemia, a 



place where I have spent some of the happiest days 

 of my life, and the woods round which I know as 

 well as any keeper on the estate. It was the 

 beginning of July, and I had but arrived from 

 England the day before. 



"You had better have a go at the roebucks," 

 said my host to me, after that mid-day meal which 

 we term luncheon, but the Austrians call breakfast. 

 " The keeper says that there's a good buck coming 

 out by the Dismal Pool." 



" Right you are ! " I said ; " I'll try and get a shot 

 at him this evening." 



121 



