one of the chief
characteristics of thought, leaped down the precipices, up which he had
toiled so slowly, sped away over hill and dale, and landed him in
Chamouni at the feet of Nita Horetzki. Once there, he had no desire to
move. He kept looking steadily in her pretty face, speculated as to the
nature of the charm that rendered it so sweet, wondered what was the
cause of the lines of care that at times rippled her smooth white brow,
longed to become the sharer of her grief, and her comforter, and
pondered the improbability of his ever being in a position to call her
Nita--darling Nita--sweetest Nita--exquisite Nita! He was still engaged
in creating adjectives at Chamouni when he was brought suddenly back to
the Alpine heights by the sound of a shot. It was repeated in a hundred
echoes by the surrounding cliffs, as he seized his rifle and gazed over
the precipice.

A puff of smoke, hanging like a cloudlet, guided his eyes. Not far in
front of it he saw the fawn-like form of a chamois stretched in death
upon the ground, while two others were seen bounding with amazing
precision and elasticity over the rocks towards him.

He turned at once to an opening among the rocks at his right, for, even
to his unpractised eye, it was obviously impossible that anything
without wings could approach him in front or at his left.

Coolness and promptitude were characteristics of the youth; so that he
sat crouching with the rifle, resting in the palm of his left hand, over
one knee, as motionless as if he had been chiselled from the rock
against which he leaned; but his natural coolness of deportment could
not prevent, though it concealed, a throbbing of anxiety lest the game
should pass out of reach, or behind rocks, which would prevent his
seeing it. For an instant he half-rose, intending to rush to some more
commanding elevation, but remembering the parting advice of Le Croix, he
sank down again and remained steady.

Scarcely had he done so when the clatter of bounding hoofs was heard.
He knew well that the open space, across which he now felt sure the
chamois must pass, was only broad enough to afford the briefest possible
time for an aim. He raised the rifle more than half-way to the
shoulder. Another instant and a chamois appeared like an arrow shooting
athwart the hill-side before him. He fired, and missed! The bullet,
however, which had been destined for the heart of the first animal, was
caught in the brain of tha