204 MULE DEER

big and was alone, and I felt confident that it was he.
He was then just walking slowly and making his way
along the side of the hill. I watched him until the light
completely failed and he vanished into the gloom. Then
I hurried down to camp and a welcome meal. If it did
not snow that night I felt sure I should find him not
far away the next day.

It was barely light when the chase was again resumed.
First of all the trail was picked up and followed down
to and across the creek. This was easy, as the stag had
crossed about two hundred yards below my camp,
though at one time he was within closer shot of it. After
crossing the creek the trail led me, across a bit of a flat,
straight away, but then turned sharply back up the creek.
There was no doubt in my mind now that the deer I had
viewed the evening before was the right one. My plan
of action was at once decided on. I knew the lie of the
land well and had a fair idea of where the stag would
make for ; therefore, instead of following the trail, I kept »
on up the hill with the intention of getting well above
where I had seen him last, and then spying all the likely
benches and hiding-places below me. If in this way I
failed to detect him, it would be simple to go down and
pick up the trail again.

For some two ‘hours I hunted in vain; not a glimpse
of him was to be had, though I spied every nook and
corner of the side hill for a long way up the creek from
where I had last seen him. At last I spotted what looked
like a bed away below me among a clump of trees on
the edge of a narrow bench. With my glasses I fancied
I could make out a blood stain, so I went down to make
sure. It was a bed all right; in fact, there were three of
them in close proximity ; they all had blood stains and
were made by my stag, but he had moved some time
before. Poor brute! he must have been in pain and not
able to rest, and it was cruel to have had to leave him
all night.

It was evident that my stag had moved of his own
account, as his tracks showed that he had just walked