( 



THE TRAIL OF THE SANDHILL 



regardful eyes and ears, and nostrils 

 too, and gazed. 



44 Darest thou slay me ? " said an 

 uncrowned, unarmed king once, as 

 his eyes fell on the assassin's knife, 

 and in that clear, calm gaze the mur- 

 derer quailed and cowed* 



So trembled Yan ; but he knew it 

 was only stag-fever, and he despised 

 it then as he came in time to honor 

 it; and the beast that dwelt within 

 him fired the gun. 



The ball splashed short. The 

 buck sprang up and the doe appeared. 

 Another shot ; then, as they fled, an- 

 other and another. But away the 

 deer went, lightly drifting across the 

 low round hills. 



4 6 



