IParablse Circle 



paces, just as the woodcock turned in air, 

 perhaps twelve feet above ground, I 

 stopped him with my heavy arrow, a cen- 

 ter hit, bringing him down in such style 

 that a great self-satisfaction went over me 

 like a wave. A thing like that is not fre- 

 quently done, even by the best archer, and 

 in my exceeding deep dehght I did not 

 hear the horseman come from under the 

 hedge of Paradise Circle. When he spoke 

 I turned about startled, doubtless glaring. 



" Ouf, zah ! varee good you chutes zat 

 vay, zah." 



He reined in his Creole pony, lifted his 

 hat, and bowed. I saw in his thin, clear- 

 cut face a frank expression of mingled 

 wonder and vast regard. Across the horn 

 of his saddle slanted an elegantly modeled 

 and finished hammerless double-barrel. I 

 returned his salute, and went to retrieve 

 my bird. 



** Admirable, zah, admirable ! " he called 

 after me, giving a purely French pronun- 

 ciation and accent to the adjective. 



Very likely he was not pleased when, 

 after I had laid hands on my game and 

 43 



