The Big Markhor 5 1 



it to above his back and my finger pressed the 

 trigger. 



The report echoed and re-echoed among the 

 crags. I saw the markhor bound on, throwing the 

 snow about him. But to get in a second shot was 

 the thing, and I hastily shoved another cart- 

 ridge into the breech. When I looked up again he 

 was gone. 



" Where is he ? " I asked. 



" I don't know, Sahib," said Gul Sher hesitat- 

 ingly. "He seemed to disappear by the knot of 

 junipers." The glasses through which we had been 

 looking had got snow on them and were useless. 

 " It was too far," he added, " but maybe he is 

 wounded and will come out soon." 



The herd were now far black specks on the 

 snow ; he surely could not be among them. We 

 waited and waited, expecting to see him appear in 

 the distance from behind some ridge or tree, but 

 not a sign ! But stay ; did I see something move 

 underneath that juniper, or is it the withered 

 branch of a tree sticking out from the snow? 

 " Go, Gul Sher, to that rock above us, and see if 

 you can make anything out." 



Gul Sher got up and went up the hill for fifty 

 yards and sat down, carefully wiped his glasses 

 and applied them to his eyes. Scarcely had he 

 done so when he was on his feet again, his 



