288 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



disappeared, and realizing that he was off on a big 

 stampede, I thought my best chance lay in shooting 

 at the other bull. He seemed pleased to think that 

 victory rested with him, and once more loudly blared 

 his challenge note, little dreaming then the answer 

 it^would bring, for ere he could move, like a cunning 

 general following up the routed enemy, the deadly 

 bullet from my Mannlicher had reached its billet. 

 Reeling like a storm-struck ship he stood a moment, 

 shot clean through the heart, and his great fore-legs 

 collapsed as he crashed heavily on his side, never to 

 rise again. 



At this moment Agnes ran up, exclaiming, " Why, 

 oh why, did you not shoot at the other beast?" To 

 which I could only retort that she need not add to 

 my chagrin at having lost the finest trophy of my 

 life, and that it was impossible to get a shot at the 

 animal from where I stood when he dashed into 

 cover. It was in no enviable frame of mind that I 

 inspected the fallen beast, but we were both sur- 

 prised at the size and remarkable symmetry of the 

 horns. Producing a tape I found they measured 

 exactly seventy inches. Then only did I dare con- 

 jecture what the other bull's horns must have 

 spanned, for beside his these great antlers looked 

 small. Till my dying day I shall always believe 

 that I have seen a living moose whose horns exceeded 

 eighty inches spread. 



Agnes volunteered to return to camp and send back 

 the men to skin and bring in the head, and taking 

 my rifle lest she should encounter any big game 



