194 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



Instead of trying to escape downwards my quarry 

 fled upwards, and — the Fates against him — a sheer 

 wall which even his genius could not tackle brought 

 him up. He stood for the fraction of a second with feet 

 close together, head up, sniffing about him in bewilder- 

 ment, and a beam of fitful sunlight struck the massive 

 patriarchal horns. I broke the seventh command- 

 ment into little pieces. 



I had no time to fire. Even as I got the sights on him 

 he skipped away, and put several more feet betwixt us. 

 I hate unsporting long shots, which more often than 

 not condemn a beast to an end unthinkable. In open 

 country hazardous shots are occasionally permissible, 

 for you can ride your quarry down, but in a land of 

 precipiees, " fool-shots," as the Americans call these 

 off-chances, are indefensible. 



Virtue had its reward. Suddenly, for no good reason 

 that I could see, the ibex lessened the distance which 

 separated us and stood calmly fore-on, meditating, as 

 though nothing untoward had occurred to disturb his 

 peace. It was an awkward sideway shot, and Cecily's 

 eyebrows went up disapprovingly as I essayed it. 



But— 



" We must take the current when it serves, 

 Or lose our ventures." 



A quick rush down hill followed on the crack of the 

 rifle. What a moment was mine ! I made sure I had 

 missed again, or at most merely grazed the tur. When 

 suddenly — he collapsed and fell. On and on he rolled, 

 head over heels, and nothing checked his passage until 

 the torrent claimed him. 



