DEER-STALKING. 1G9 



further progress ; and after an absence of more than ten minutes, 

 which to the sportsmenseemed a full hour, he returned creeping 

 like a worm, and beckoning the party to follow in the same manner. 

 This they did ; and at length, keeping along the peat cracks, got a 

 chasm deep enough to afford sufficient cover for the whole body. 

 ' He's no a hiuider' yards from you this moment, Glenvallich,* 

 wliispered the forester, in scarcely audible accents, ' and the wind 

 is strong from him. Ye most climb this knoll; if yon can get him 

 within eighty yards, dinna seek to get nearer, for he's in a wide 



freen bench, and he's very jealons. I dimia think ye'll mak' muckle 

 etter o' it, but achone ! sir, tak' time and be canny — I wudua for 

 ten pounds he got awa ! ' — ' Never fear me, man ; but here's Mr. 

 Tresham must take the first chance — I'll fire only if he misses. 

 Come along, Harry.' The forester cast a look of mingled dis- 

 appointment and remonstrance at his master, but it was disregarded. 

 Tresham, also, who still shook from head to foot with recent exer- 

 tion and present excitement, _ would have excused himself from 

 interfering with the anterior riglits of his friend in this particular 

 animal ; but Glenyillach w^ould not listen to him. ' Have done with 

 this debating;,' said he, ' we shall lose the deer — follow me, Tres- 

 ham,' Cautiously,_ like a cat on its prey, foot by foot and mch by 

 inch, did Glenvallich, grovelling in the heather, advance towards 

 the crest of the knoll in front of him; when the deer's antlers 

 moved he was still — when they took their natural position he 

 moved forwards. Tresham followed in his track, stopping or 

 advancing as he did, _ until they had reached some twenty paces 

 onwards from the ravine. Glenvallich then signed to him to raise 

 his head with caution. He did so, and saw, with a sensation of 

 ea^^-er delight which increased his agitation to a painful pitch, the 

 noble stag lying among some rushy grass, apparently in the 

 most unsuspicious tranquillity, occasionally scratching a, part of Ms 

 hide with a fork of his antlers, and driving away the insects which 

 appeared grievously to torment him, ' Take him as he lies, Harry ; 

 aim low, at the shoulder,' whispered Glenvallich. The heart oi 

 Tresham beat more audibly than ever it had done on going into 

 action, as he carefully extended and levelled his rifle. Whether it 

 was the slight click of cocking, or some movement made_ in the 

 heather as he stretched out the piece to take aim, is uncertain ; but 

 the stag started, and made a movement as if about to rise, just at the 

 moment when Tresham was pressing tlie trigger. The circumstance 

 probably unsettled his aim, for the rifle exploded, but the ball flew 

 over its intended object. But not thus was the unfortunate animal to 

 escape ; for scarce had the report of Tresham's shot made him start 

 from his lair, when the rifle of Glenvallich gave forth its fatal con- 

 tents, and the stag, making one high bound from the earth, tmn- 

 bled headlong forwards, and lay struggling in the agonies of death. 

 He had anticipated the possibility of his friend's failure, and pre- 

 pared to remedy it— Avhich he did effectually, for the ball had 

 struck the animal just behind the shoulder, and went clean thi'ough 



