THE KROTENKOPF AND THE KRAMER. 357 



vexation found nothing. Bauer now came over the 

 mountain, and at once called to ask if I had got one 

 of them. 



" There were two, were there not ?" he said. " I only 

 saw the second after I had fired my rifle. You have 

 missed ? What, did not they come near ? No, you 

 can't have missed ! Where were they?" he continued, 

 as he looked for their slot in the snow. 



" But I tell you I have. For a moment I thought 

 I had hit him, but now I see I did not." 



" Where were they standing when you fired ?" 



" Further on. But it is useless to look : I have fol- 

 lowed them already, and found nothing. Further on, 

 down lower further still, if you will look," I called 

 out, as he inquired about the position of the chamois. 



" Here 's hair enough however," he cried, holding 

 up some in his fingers, as I ran to the place. The long 

 black hair of the back was lying on the snow, and by 

 its length it was evident that it had been shaved off 

 quite close to the backbone. The supposition that 

 one moved as though hurt, which I had a moment 

 entertained, but afterwards given up as a mere fancy, 

 was, I now saw, well founded. I had touched him. 

 The ball had just grazed the vertebrae, but so very 

 slightly as to cause only the momentary lameness I 

 had remarked. 



" Look how long they are !" said Bauer, examining 

 the speckled hairs. " Well, that was near ! an eighth 

 of an inch lower down, and he would have dropped 

 at once. Twas a long shot though, that I must say." 



