94 THE PHANTOM STAG 



and on that day alone, a splendid fourteen- 

 pointer appears in a certain corner of this 

 green expanse. Three times I have fired 

 at this fellow and missed him, and each time 

 he vanished as though the earth had swallowed 

 him up. 



The first time I made the acquaintance of 

 this uncanny animal we drove quite close to 

 a whole herd. About thirty yards away, 

 standing in the bracken at the edge of the big 

 meadow, was this grand stag. One could see 

 every branch on his antlers with the naked eye. 

 Down I sprang from the cart and fired point- 

 blank. 



My aim was all right, the herd scattered, and 

 the stag — simply disappeared ! We could 

 neither see nor find any trace of him. 



Next year when stalking with Lieutenant 

 Gossler I caught sight of the same stag lying 

 in the corner of a meadow. We crept within 

 range. I adjusted the sights with the 

 utmost care. I fired, and missed again. The 

 stag vanished, leaving, as on the first occasion, 

 no trace. 



