A SUCCESSFUL SHOT. 45 



some thirty feet high, and round this one by 

 one the whole herd was coming at a slow trot 

 across the flat pass which our position com- 

 manded. I waited for a bigger beast than the 

 rest to come in sight, and then resting my 

 elbows on the snow took careful aim. But it 

 was no use. My sights rocked like aspen 

 boughs, and the back sight was so blurred 

 that I could barely see it. Putting my rifle 

 down, I dropped my face in my hands, 

 shutting my eyes and trying to recover steadi- 

 ness and sight. ^Yhen I tried to draw a bead 

 again the last of the herd was passing me so 

 that though my hand still shook wofully I 

 was obliged to fire. 



The first shot missed altogether, sending 

 the goats' heads into the air for a moment and 

 nothing more. But my second barrel was 

 fired with greater steadiness, and a fine old 

 ram dropped, trying to drag his quarters after 

 the now flying herd in vain. Slipping in a 



