166 STALKS ABROAD 



from a tiny hole behind his skull. Once he opened 

 his mouth, but only once, for two bullets crashed 

 into the back of his throat, and at length he moved 

 no more. Later we fell in with the Memsahib and 

 her husband. She too had shot a mugger as he lay 

 dreaming his evil dreams on the bank, and for a good 

 half-hour sat watching him. Then a little spurt of 

 life flickered up, and while she watched, he gave a 

 wriggle and fell from the bank into the river and so 

 escaped, for all her cartridges were gone. So it was 

 that the pie dog alone had seen us while she sat 

 gazing at the watery grave of her cherished hopes. 



