THE RED DEER 
for the shot. Would the stag remain where he was ? That this was probable 
was apparent from the fact that many of his hinds were even at the moment 
lying down in little groups. There was nothing much against us but one 
thing. 
“ How about the wind at that hollow we have to cross to get to the rocks?” 
” That’s just the trouble,” answered the stalker. “ A’m feared.” 
The second stalker had now joined us and beamed encouragement 
when he saw at what we had been looking. ” Aye — that’s him a’ richt. 
A’ll stay here and sign ye wi’ me hankie gin’ they move,” he remarked 
as we left him. 
In the next half an hour we performed a wide parabolic curve so as to 
get well up the hill and close into the black shoulder in our preliminary 
advance. At times we made halts and had inspiriting views of the ” great ” 
stag as we crept ever nearer. So all went well until we reached the dip 
to the right of the small precipice. Here my heart sank when I saw the 
mist in front of us standing still and then slowly creeping down hill. 
We halted and watched the slow movement of the billowy clouds, and 
saw them sink down and down until within a short distance of the deer; 
after that their course was obscured. 
There was no other way — ^we had to chance it — and did so by running 
swiftly across the dangerous area. Those were moments of fierce excite- 
ment. Before we could see the deer again we had to climb over some very 
steep rocks, and again down others. In two places the stalker let me 
down a distance of more than twelve feet, hanging full length by the rifle 
cover, whilst I seized his extended legs and placed him on my shoulders, 
so that he could drop in turn. In a few minutes we had a view, and there 
were all the hinds about 400 yards straight below us, as quiet and well 
ordered as a Free Kirk congregation. I breathed freely again, and already 
felt the ” great one ” must be mine. 
X., the stalker, was one of those uncomfortable people who never can 
be still in the presence of deer. He was fidgeting, sweating and talking 
in a manner calculated to upset the nerves of the most blase. I could only 
wonder how many stags he had caused to be missed owing to his restless 
want of confidence, but I did not intend that he should upset me, so I lit 
a pipe and proceeded to discuss the situation. I suggested that as all the 
rest was easy, he should stay where he was, and leave me to complete 
the stalk. This he would not hear of at first, so we compromised by his 
coming for another 200 yards. 
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