133 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



sound of fire-arms soon brought them to the spot. At 

 the sight of three men, Simon, who still did not want 

 courage, thought of flight ; but he was old, and by no means 

 swift of foot. To fall into the hands of his adversaries was 

 worse than a misfortune; it was a disgrace which nothing 

 would make him submit to. With rage in his heart, he listened 

 only to the bad counsels of pride and hatred, and discharged 

 his gun almost at hazard in the direction of his assailants. 



" The gardes, not at all intimidated by this energetic demon- 

 stration, fired in their turn. Simon's son received a wound, 

 which broke his left arm; but still he had the use of his right, 

 and with a stroke of the butt of his gun, gave a mortal blow 

 to the garde who was rushing to make him prisoner. 



" A desperate struggle took place between the other gardes 

 des chasses and the poachers. Although wounded himself, 

 Simon was a terrible adversary, and his son, not much more 

 than a child, fought like a hero. 



" The gardes j after a long resistance, began to give way ; but 

 as the only wish of the two Simons was to escape, they did 

 not follow them, and tried their utmost to gain the entrance 

 of the forest. Observing this, the gardes pursued them again, 

 and Simon, unfortunately for himself, turned round and 

 pointed his gun at them. It was his death-warrant ; one of 

 his adversaries immediately fired, and the whole charge took 

 effect on his person. 



" ' I am wounded, son ! Save yourself. Leave me here. 

 Save yourself, I tell you.' 



" Arrived at the porte de la Hreteche, they crept into the 

 fields of standing corn ; and by hiding in the various thickets 

 which cover the ground on this side of the forest, managed 

 to put the gardes off their tracks, and arrived by a circuitous 

 road near to their cottage. 



" They could already see the feeble rays of light that shone 

 through the small window, when Simon felt his strength 



