238 A SHADOW OF DOUBT. 



ments, for so precarious is the footing that even the recoil of 

 the rifle may cause a slip. Once more the mist clears off and 

 discloses the whole herd, now coming straight down towards 

 us. As Gamoo crouches beside me, ready to hand me my 

 second rifle, a double (not the Whitworth then, or it should 

 have had the post of honour), I can hear him praying to 

 Allah and the Prophet for help, and cautioning me not to fire 

 in a hurry, alternately. The leading buck is within fifty yards 

 and broadside on, when Gamoo whispers, "Now, take a 

 good aim." 



Can I have missed the beast ? for he still holds steadily 

 on without a sign of being hit. But another big fellow has 

 reached the same spot. Quickly Gamoo hands me the other 

 rifle, and ere the animal has time to recover from his astonish- 

 ment, a bullet smashes through his shoulders, his fore-legs slip 

 from under him, and he rolls headlong down the gully in our 

 front and disappears. The third big buck now takes his 

 place, for there is only one way by which they can pass us, 

 and I am just about to fire when Gamoo directs my attention 

 towards the first, which has pulled up, and offers a fair chance. 

 Supposing him untouched, I empty the remaining barrel at 

 him. He moves on a short way, stops again, totters for a few 

 seconds, and falls struggling down into a cleft between a 

 steep face of rock and a sloping bank of hard snow just below 

 him. Both rifles being now empty, the remaining big buck 

 gets off scot-free, and vanishes with his smaller companions 

 long ere I can reload. 



Numerous and loud are the expressions of delight indulged 

 in by the shikarees at our good luck. But a shadow of doubt 

 arises in their minds as to whether they will be able to reach 

 the beasts in time to bleed them before life is extinct, as, 

 being good Mohammedans, without this ceremony being duly 

 performed the meat will be useless to them. Hatha and 

 Sultana at once start off down the gully to look after the 

 second buck, whilst Gamoo and I with some difficulty 



