218 A PAINFUL SCENE.

It was no easy task; the bed of the creck was
soft and yielding, and he was compelled to tread
slowly and silently lest he should alarm the game,
but he was cheered in his exertions by the prospect
of fresh venison for supper. After a weary drag of
several hundred yards, he came opposite to a small
clump of wormwood-bushes growing out of the
bank. “I may be high enough,” he thought ;
‘these will serve for cover.”

Raising his body gradually, he looked through
the leaves. He was in the right spot; and bring-
ing his rifle to a level he fired at the buck. The
animal sprang from the ground and fell back life-
less. The Captain was about to rush forward and
secure the prize, when he observed the doe, instead
of running off, as he had expected, go up to her
fallen partner and press her tapering nose to his
body. She was near enough for him plainly to see
that her look was one of bewilderment and inquiry.
All at once she seemed to comprehend the fatal
truth, and, throwing back her head, commenced
uttering the most piteous cries, at the same time
running in circles around the body.

The sight was too much for the compassionate
feelings of Captain Reid. “ Had I dreamed,’ he
says, “of witnessing this painful spectacle I should
not have left the trai. But the mischief was now
done. ‘I have worse than killed ler, I thought