DEER-STALKING. 2 ;i 



I forget the expression of affected surprise, mingled 

 with gratified animosity and triumphant low cunning 

 which burned with an evil gleam on the usually 

 blank face of the traitor as he almost cJmckled 

 out, " Well, you haf missed him, but he was ferry 

 near ! " 



It is almost incredible, but I kept my temper. 



I did not strike him, or even call him one of 



the wicked names which crowded in such tumultuous 



numbers to my lips. I was quite quiet, and only 



said, " How clumsily you did that ; you might easily 



have frightened him without showing yourself up to 



me as you did. Please show me the nearest way 



home ! " Not one other word did I utter, except 



to request the villain to keep silent, when he, with 



floods of lies, called upon his Maker his Maker ! 



to witness that he had not put the deer off, 



that my cap was the wrong colour, that I had 



coughed, that they had got the wind which he had 



warned me was queer thereabouts, that I had fired 



too quick, that I should have fired sooner, that 



P 2 



