wever, trended ultimately towards those
mountain fastnesses that exist about and beyond the Eagle Cliff.

Two of the hinds followed their lord in a direction which led them out
of the wood within sight of, though a considerable distance from, the
white rock behind which Jackman and Quin were concealed. The others
fled by tracks somewhat higher on the hill-sides, where however, as the
reader knows, the enemy was posted to intercept them.

"Sure it's a purty stag, afther all," whispered Quin, who, in spite of
elephantine-Indian sport, was somewhat excited by this sudden appearance
of the Scottish red-deer. "But they're a long way off, sor."

"Not too far, if the rifle is true," said Jackman, in a very low voice,
as he put up the long-range sight.

"You'll git a good chance at the stag whin he tops the hillock forenent
you, sor," remarked the somewhat garrulous Irishman.

"I won't fire at the stag, Quin," returned Jackman, quietly. "You and I
have surely killed enough of bigger game abroad. We can afford to let
the stag pass on to our friends higher up, some of whom have never seen
a red-deer before, and may never have a chance of seeing one again."

All this was said by the sportsman in a low, soft voice, which could not
have been heard three yards off, yet his sharp eye was fixed intently on
the passing deer. Seeing that there was no likelihood of their coming
nearer, he raised his rifle, took steady but quick aim, and fired. One
of the hinds dropped at once; the other followed her terrified lord as
he dashed wildly up the slope.

Partial deafness is a slight disadvantage in deer-stalking. So, at
least, MacRummle discovered that day. After having wiped his forehead,
as already described, he set himself steadily to fulfil the duties of
his situation. These were not so simple as one might suppose, for, as
had been explained to him by Jackman, he had to watch two passes--one
close above his post, the other close below it--either of which might
bring the deer within easy reach of his rifle, but of course there was
the uncertainty as to which of the two passes the deer would choose. As
it was a physical impossibility to have his eyes on both passes at once,
the old gentleman soon found that turning his head every few seconds
from one side to the other became irksome. Then it became painful. At
last it became torture, and then he gave up this plan in despair,
resolving to devote a minute at a time to each pas