THE STAG IN THE RUTTING SEASON. 33 



being able to obtain an advantage over his adversary. I 

 had noted which was the better one of the two, and 

 determined to wait my time till an opportunity should 

 present itself for getting a shot at him I had marked. 

 But still with antlers interlaced, on they yet kept strug- 

 gling ; and round and round they turned, but never was 

 the better stag so exposed as to enable me to get a fair 

 chance. For you know, it would be a pity to have given 

 such a stag as that a bad shot — in the haunch, or the 

 flanks, or in the neck perhaps. Strangely enough the lesser 

 one I could have shot capitally over and over again ; but 

 I had made up my mind what to do, and determined to 

 abide by it, and not let my impatience entice me to fire 

 too soon. While thus anxiously watching the battle, all 

 of a sudden they disappear. They both are off. But it 

 was not long before the noise of the struggle could be 

 heard, and off I was at once after them again. This 

 time I got closer than before ; but still I never could get 

 a fair shot at the larger animal. I was waiting all the 

 time with my rifle to my shoulder, ready to fire, when, 

 for a moment only, the one with the spreading antlers 

 turned his broadside towards me ; the trigger is touched, 

 and down he rolls in front of his opponent. He tries to 

 rise, and struggles on the earth, but is unable to get up. 

 All this time, the other, instead of running off at the 

 noise of the rifle, stands before his fallen foe, and then 

 charges down again upon him as before. In the mad- 

 ness of his rage, he had evidently not heard the shot. As 

 you may suppose, my thought was now centred in him ; 

 for to get both the stags, that would indeed be a triumph. 

 So I crept up still closer to the group, and fire. I think 

 he is hit ; I feel sure of it : I tell myself he must be hit. 

 But while thus re-assuring myself, he whom I had hoped 

 was wounded mortally, rears in the air as if to give more 



D 



