As the men came near the doe 

 made a convulsive effort to rise, but 

 could not. Duff drew his knife* It 

 never before occurred to Yan why 

 he and each of them carried a long 

 knife* The poor doe turned on her 

 foes her great lustrous eyes; they 

 were brimming with tears, but she 

 made no moan. Yan turned his 

 back on the scene and covered his 

 face with his hands, but Duff went 

 forward with the knife and did some 

 dreadful, unspeakable thing, Yan 

 scarcely knew what, and when Duff 

 called him he slowly turned, and the 

 big Stag's mate was lying quiet in 

 the snow, and the only living thing 

 that they saw as they quit the scene 

 was the great round form bearing 

 65 



