Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-03-03

right and to the left then, as the
whistle sounded, he planted his shoot
ing stick in the ground took up
firm stance in front of it and leaned
| forward. At the finish of the drive
there was no longer anyone inclined
to think of him in the least as a fig
ure of fun. Without a tremor, like
perfect machine he swung his gun
and he swept everything on the wings
from the skies. Not smile or 6
wrinkle on his face betrayed any sat
isfaction, even when he brought down
woodcock which had been missed
all along the line. He took his sec.
ond gun from the loader with only the
slightest movement of the body. His
long arms seemed to reach every
where. Hares were perpetually turn.
ing somersaults on either side of him
Matresser, who had shot very little
himself, was surrounded at the end OF
the drive.
what on earth is this you have
brought down to make us look like
farmers on a bank holiday shoot p
Bemrose, the Lord Lieutenant, asked
Matresser. "Is he a trickster or is
this his usual performance?
"Never saw him before three days
ago." Matresser explained. "He
brought his little yacht into the har-
Dor and called at the house to pay his
respects. Dutch custom, suppose.
thought I had better ask him to shoot
one day but I never expected circus
turnout like this"
1.-THE man is a juggler," Bemrose
declared. Il never saw such shoot
ing. He killed everything within fiji
ty yards, including those His Rever-
ence the Dean missed"
"Sheer butchery 1 call it," another
man grumbled.
"No, he shot like a sportsman"
Matresser conceded. For example,
just asked him to leave the low hens
alone and he never raised his gun to
one"
evan Westrheene," Bemrose re-
Elected. 81 seem to know the name.
Has he estates in Holland?"
"He told me he had several thou
sand acres of shooting there" Mat
resser replied.
They made their way down towards
the woods. Matresser, during their
progress to the stands, caught up with
his foreign guest.
"My dear fellow" he exclaimed,
"you have completely astonished oul
local sportsmen. never saw anyone
shoot with such precision in my life.'
Van Westrheene bowed gravely.
| ''It is good sport, that" he declar-
ed. "There is plenty of game. I like
to kill. If my guns are good and the
cartridges are fresh, it is not Otter
that I fail"
Matresser left him at his stand ano
passed on to join his sister and Elisa
beth Stamier.
"For heavens sake!" Ann implored
Tell us who is your picturesque look
ing triumph
Matresser opened his lips to reply
but some nameless impulse kept hin
silent for a moment and he foune
himself watching Elisabeth. She was
looking away over the tops of the
trees. Even his somewhat prolonged
pause had no effect.
"The gentleman calls himself Mr.
Jan van Westrheene," he confided
HE brought that little yacht in or
Monday night and called to pay his
respects the day after"
"If you all shot like he did," Ann
remarked, 81 don't think I should ever
come out with you again."
That's only an idea, Ann" hel
brother reproved her quietly. "The
most humane way to shoot is to kill.
She shivered a little.
II suppose that's right" she adj
mitted, "but there was something
even about the way he raised his gun
which hated. He dealt out death as
though he had some special joy in
killing"
81 expect" Elisabeth said, "that in
real life he is very kindly person.
ITO me-" Ann persisted, ''he looked