334 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



to support his partner in guilt ; " you gave us both 

 the go-by in your anxiety to administer the coup- 

 de-grace" 



" Yes ; that is just it," was the reply. " I felt 

 obliged to finish it. If you fellows had only killed it 

 outright, I wouldn't have touched a trigger at them. 

 I wanted to put it out of its misery, as it was 

 wounded." 



" Oh ! ay ! of course," Mackenzie retorted ; " pure 

 tender-heartedness on your part. However, you 

 can't deny that you did drive a bullet into it. There 

 is no getting over that fact." 



And with this triumphant remark, the Scotchman 

 chuckled at the idea of the crack hog-hunter of the 

 district being concerned in the shooting of a pig a 

 sporting crime, in a country feasible for hunting, it 

 is unnecessary to remark, of no little magnitude. 



Norman shuddered at the idea.. 



" Why, hang it ! " he said, " did I fire when 

 they passed so temptingly before me ? I only 

 just finished what you fellows had so muifishly 

 begun." 



" No valid reason. Hawkcs or I would have 

 finished it. No, the fact is, you couldn't resist your 

 bloodthirsty nature. Your murderous propensities 

 overcame, you." 



" Why, what a calumny ! " Norman exclaimed. 



