66 rOEEST CEEATUKES. 



took an upward direction, this single diverging one was 

 the more striking." 



" Well, 'tis the stag I thought. I have known that 

 stag for five years. He is always at this season near 

 where you saw him to-day. Three years ago N. N. fired 

 at him, and missed. 'Twas a long shot though, and 

 rather late in the evening. Well ! that stag had 

 eighteen last year, and as he has only sixteen this, I 

 fancy he won't have any more in future. I've got the 

 horns that he shed last year, which I'll show you. 

 They are up at the lodge, and you'll then see that one 

 point of the crown is bent downward and a little 

 crumpled, and that is the reason we call him 'the 

 Grumpy.' " 



" And does he stay here after the rutting season ? " 



'' No, then he is off at once, and we don't see him 

 again for a long time. Last September we found a 

 good stag gored to death close to the meadow, where 

 you saw ' Grumpy ' yesterday. He, no doubt, was the 

 murderer; for his horns being so long, and rising nearly 

 straight, an adversary whose antlers spread more has 

 little chance with him. As I said, I've known him five 

 years : and an underkeeper who was here before me 

 said he had heard of him, as a good stag, two years 

 before that." 



Such is the matter of many a dialogue, when some 

 Boble hart that has been seen is identified. 



