A SHOT. 31 



and waving tail, stood a beautiful doe. Quick as 

 thought she darted away, but when she had gone 

 about 25 or 30 rods stopped again. At first I could 

 not see her, for she had halted behind a clump of 

 bushes ; but at length I observed a reddish spot, about 

 the size of the crown of my cap, between the leaves. 

 I hesitated to shoot, for I knew it was the broadside, 

 and one of my small bullets (my rifle carries 83 to the 

 pound) planted there, might not fetch her down till 

 she had run ten miles. However, it was my only 

 chance, so I took a steady aim, and fired. A wild 

 spring into the open forest told me she was hit, and as 

 she leaped madly away, the tail she carried a moment 

 before like a plume, was hugged close to her legs. 

 Hence I was not surprised when I came to where she 

 had stood, to find large drops of blood on the leaves. 

 I took the trail and followed on. It was slow work, 

 without a dog, and how far I went I know not, but I 

 did not give it up till the increasing darkness blotted 

 the traces from my sight. I then turned to go back, 

 but, alas, had not the slightest idea of the course I 

 had traveled ; and the sun being now down, and the 

 high trees blotting out everything but a little space of 

 sky overhead, I was utterly at a loss which way to 



