I TAKE OFF MY SHOES. 



127 



and I was able to get within thirty-five yards of them. They 

 were both lying down. Just as I raised my rifle the buck 

 looked up and saw me, but it was too late, for the next 

 second a ball from the big rifle was crashing through his 



/ TAKE OFF MY SHOES. 



shoulder. They were up in a moment and disappeared down 

 the rock but I knew the saddle back was done for. I ran 

 on to the edge and saw him below me on his side, giving his 

 last kick, the doe standing near him, but before I could pull 

 the trigger she was off; I waited for her to stop at a rock, 

 and as she did so, I fired and heard the tell, but she dashed 

 on as if unhurt. I saw her farther down staggering by the 

 edge of a precipice, and after one or two struggles to keep 

 her feet, over she went clean down into the valley below. I 

 whistled nearly all the wind out of me for Francis, as a thick 

 mist covering everything was coming up; at last he came and 



