THE MULE DEER. 161 



This day was to show me the vahie of my dog. Almost 

 every day — indeed, every day — the wind swept np the great 

 east ravine, and over its brow. Instead of going along the 

 brow, where I was at all times liable to be seen myself, I 

 kept back a little, out of sight, and left all to the nose of 

 my dog. He answered to the trust. He was the most 

 beautiful dog I ever saw — of far-famed strain, with every 

 instinct of the high-bred Setter born in him. I never had to 

 teach him either to stand or retrieve; he did both by virtue 

 of his blood and birth. It was noon as I now skirted the 

 ravine just back from its edge. The wind came gently and 

 freshly over the brow; the sun shone out brightly from the 

 sky; the air was jDure as the mountain stream beneath it, 

 and motion itself Avas a pleasure. All at once. Dash stepped 

 out from me, raised his nose a moment, and stole toward 

 the brow. There he stood, while I stepped beyond, and 

 saw one of the sights that make a sportsman's nerves tingle, 

 and set all his blood aglow. 



About fifteen rods down the steep hill-side was a proces- 

 sion, in line, of two does, a large buck, and two yearlings or 

 fawns behind. None saw me, and I had time for a choice. 

 From the buck' s neck, I saw that he was in his full run, 

 and unfit for use. The does would be perfect. The two in 

 front were walking rapidly, and I was waiting for them to 

 pause, when, looking ahead, a much larger doe, and evi- 

 dently the leader of the band, was standing, cropping grass. 

 I swung my ritle ahead, and, in my old instinct and folly, 

 fired low, for her heart. In an instant all was commotion. 

 I fired again, without effect, when the whole band went out 

 of sight. I went down for my doe. There was blood, there 

 was hair, but no doe in sight. I followed in the line she was 

 taking, but found no sign. I returned to the spot where 

 she had stood, when I noticed the gentle face of Dash turned 

 wistfully up to mine. 



" Dash, where is she ?" 



With a bound, he sprang down the hill-side, and beyond 



him I saw my doe lying dead. She had made one vast 



spring of thirty feet down as the bullet struck her, and 

 11 



