32 IBEX SHOOTING 



we should have a good chance of a shot, 

 but that snow is going to avalanche ; it may 

 go any minute, and it may not go till to- 

 morrow, but going it is. We shall take 

 about two minutes going across it ; do you 

 think it good enough to risk it ? " 



" How do you know it's going to ava- 

 lanche ?" said Incredulity. 



Lassoo merely stroked his beard and 

 said quietly : 



" Sahib, when I first came on to these 

 hills I had no beard. But I think that if 

 the snow is still there when we want to go 

 it 's worth risking it, as he 's a lovely beast," 

 and his eyes glittered hungrily. 



" All right, that's settled," said I, think- 

 ing him a nervous old fool. 



How the time lags ! Why it 's only one ! 

 Then another look through the glass, during 

 which I am apparently discovered three 

 times by each of the females, then back 

 to Lassoo, who still smoked on perfectly 

 placidly. 



