DEER-STALKING. 187 



I forget the expression of affected surprise, mingled 

 with gratified animosity and triumphant low cunning 

 which burned with an evil gleam on the usually 

 blank face of the traitor as he almost chuckled 

 out, " Well, you haf missed him, but he was ferry 

 near ! 



It is almost incredible, but I kept my temper. 

 I did not strike him, or even call him one of 

 the wicked names which crowded in such tumultuous 

 numbers to my lips. I was quite quiet, and only 

 said, " How clumsily you did that ; you might easily 

 have frightened him without showing yourself up to 

 me as you did. Please show me the nearest way 

 home ! " Not one other word did I utter, except 

 to request the villain to keep silent, when he, with 

 floods of lies, called upon his Maker — his Maker ! 

 — to witness that he had not put the deer off, 

 that my cap was the wrong colour, that I had 

 coughed, that they had got the wind which he had 

 warned me was queer thereabouts, that I had fired 

 too quick, that I should have fired sooner, that 



