264 A Sportsman at Large 



decidedly slow. It was not until I had penetrated nearly a 

 quarter of a mile of the covert that I came suddenly upon an 

 open glade. 



Here a most distressing sight met my eyes. Sweep had 

 overtaken the unfortunate buck, bowled it over, and was now 

 worrying it ferociously, whilst the poor creature was struggling 

 to free itself and uttering piteous cries. I called the dog off. 

 Then came the question of how I should give the unhappy 

 victim the coup de grace, and so put it out of its misery. . I had 

 not a knife with me, and even so, had I had one, I should sure 

 have sickened at the use of it. Happily McDonald, who had 

 followed me up, now appeared. I turned away while he 

 performed the act of mercy. 



From that day forth I swore that no roedeer should suffer 

 from my attack with a shot gun. I bitterly regretted that 

 I had not brought my rifle, and so given the little fellow a 

 sporting chance. But the deed was done, and that's all there 

 is to it. 



Never have I taken a sporting lease but what some 

 untoward accident or occurrence has cropped up, and Ribigill 

 proved no exception to the rule. 



One day we were grouse-shooting over some undulating 

 ground, where it was difficult for a gun to keep in touch 

 with his next-door neighbour, when Marcus went to the 

 point of Ranger one of our setters who had pulled up to 

 stiffen over the summit of a heather-grown hillock. Just 

 as the birds rose, McDonald came over the brow, and Marcus, 

 pulling off, gave him a severe peppering. In fact, so bad 

 did the casualty appear (though at the time the ghillie made 

 light of it), that I feared dangerous complications. We plied 

 McDonald freely with whisky, after which he was able to walk 

 back to Ribigill with only slight assistance. He had to keep 

 to his bed for about a week, and then appeared to be quite 

 all right. Marcus, who was fearfully upset by the accident, 

 though it had happened through no fault of his own but was 

 obviously brought about by reason of the man being quite 

 out of his proper position presented him with twenty-five 

 pounds and paid the fee of the doctor who had been called in. 

 Nothing more was heard of the affair until some time after 



