The state herald., 1910-03-04
"noMANcY orALL I .UeNxY" 80

oracle. I'VE never can do anything
at aal in the cor,rie with this wind
gave 1t up after that We had a
long walk round the top of the corrie.
frightening on the way squaking
group OF ptarmigan. who scuttled
about among the rocks at our feet.
The pessimist was very good stalk
er, and within an hour we were eau
tiously propelling ourselves down the
hillside with our elbows and heels.
just above the deer. In the peat bogs
below We exchanged our previous mo-
tive power for hands and knees. The
pessimist peered through tuft of
grass. Quick" he said. oh. mon"
Fifty yards OF hind watched us. The
stays horns were Just vanishing over
the ridge. With extreme disfavor the
pessimist regarded the hind before us.
Then he applied the glass to his eye.
crushing scorn. In tone of intense
conviction he remarked: "Yon is
bee-astly hind" II was.
All day long we wallowed In peat
hags, tore ourselves with rocks and
got soaked TO the skin. Once |
thought we had him. louting In peat
hag and sending tufts OF heather and
black Jumps flying in all directions
Always some unforeseen chance saved
him. Once II was a grouse: once an
eagle sent the herd dashing down the
hillside. In the suns rays a one
horned stag slept peacefully, placed
there by the gods who watched over
my would-be victim. The big stag
drove him into the outcrmost hades
for daring to look Mt his hinds: but
though he did not know It. his dis.
turber had saved him. Then, as II
grew dusk. we had TO leave him roar.
Ing defiance TO the corrie with his
kinds about him on the march. Two
days later I found him again. lying
In an inaccessible place for n stalk.
In the next forest stalker appeared
over the skyline. A hind Jumped to
her feet. the surrounding deer imi.
tated her example. and the next sec.
ond they were on. As quickly as pos.
sible we followed. From the spot
where they had been lying saw
solitary animal vending his way. with
backward glances up the hillside. II
was the big stag. Above black scar
on the green slopes of a little corrie
with almost sheer sides he stopped
and then lay down. Above him the
rocks rose abruptly to n single point.
The wind blew from behind him. and
before his gaxe lay the stretch OF
heather. intersected by n little burn.
which we must cross. We slithered
and wriggled across II. got over the
burn In full view, and found ouselyes
safe for the time being. An hour later
we had climbed the hill. dodgcd some
hinda and were In fair way TO mp.
proaoh him. Far In the distance I
could see the peaks OF the Reay ooun.
try. with Wyvis raising his bumped
shoulders TO the right Moor and glen.
s'rath and corric lay bathed In sun.
shine. with here and there It'll. pur.
pie pools OF shadow. or the Happhir.
CLEAN OF some little lonely ioeh. ON
We went. and at last drew near III.
rocky point on which our hopes w.r.
centercd. The last few yards wer. nc.
complihhed. and We peered over. Their,
he lay. but how terribly small did h.
look. The wind was right. his back
To us. and yet some strange sixth
sense OF which our duii.r faculties
have but glimmering must have
told him Of the hidden danger. a..
moved his head uncasily. then Jumped |
TO his feet Never second did he |
stand. but after ono swift giape. |
round moved down tho hilisld. MT a
quick walk. Every second 4 bop.d |
that he would stand and turn: bu, ON |
he went. and there was but one
chance, Tho march lay near. and for
that. na though ho knew that therein
lay his safety. he made. oh, tbo.,
chances. desperate though they be.
that We mihs, How carefully wouid
we nin; with what precision would
our bullets 40 had We the shot agnint
We got them again. II IL TO be feared
with much the same resulta' Over
the march he went. standing for ON,
moment on the skyline out
Of shot. and we. two unddened and d..
apairing mor,ais, turned and made our
way homswardH. while the setting sun
cast n parting benadlciion about the
silent hills.