But he had his revenge. He had scarcely spoken when a buck, followed by two does, came out of the brushwood some distance farther down, the buck springing lightly and buoyantly over the soft moss, the does running more warily in his wake. Before Annie Brunel could do anything beyond utter a short cry, the contents of Will’s right barrel had caught the buck on his shoulder. He rolled over, struggled to his feet again, and then, with a last effort, made a few stumbling steps, and sank unseen among the ferns. Will turned, with a smile, to Miss Brunel. She had covered her face with her hands. Grete, on the other hand, was in a wonderful state of delight. "You killed him, Herr, I know you did. I saw him fall; and how handsome he was—and his horns, too, they are large; how pleased you will be to have them! My father will get them mounted for you, if you like; and if you would have the deer’s feet for pegs, that can be done. Oh, I wish the drive was over, that I might go to see him!" The drive was very nearly over, for the dogs were heard in the immediate neighbourhood—particularly the low sonorous baying of Rudolph, who had escaped from the leash, and was tearing backwards and forwards through the wood, with foam-flakes lying along his glistening brown coat. But all at once the baying of Rudolph was turned into a terrific yell, subsiding into a howl; and at the same moment the report of a gun was heard at some distance farther along. Immediately afterwards Will caught sight of a doe disappearing through the trees behind him, and from the way it ran he judged that it had a broken leg; while down in front of them came Rudolph, going at full speed, with his tail between his legs, and the front of his mouth covered with blood. The next thing seen was Count Schönstein, who came running to Will in a wonderful state of excitement. "I’ve shot him!—I’ve shot him!" he cried, "but we must go after him!" "Is it Rudolph you mean?" said Will. "A buck—a splendid buck——" "Well, don’t point your gun in my face." "It’s on half-cock." "It isn’t; and I don’t like the muzzle of a gun staring at me." "Will that do?" cried the Count, in vexation, dropping the gun on the ferns. "_Do_ come and help me to catch him——" "Catch a deer! Listen, Miss Brunel——" But the Count was off in the direction the wounded doe had taken. The beaters now made their appearance through the brushwood, and Hermann’s horn soon brought the keepers to the rendezvous. Will explained to Hermann that the Graf had gone in pursuit of a doe with a broken leg. "Has he Rudolph with him?" "No; I believe he shot Rudolph at the same time that he broke the hind-leg of the doe." "Shot Rudolph!" said Hermann, and then he turned to the keepers: "Where is Rudolph? Who has seen Rudolph? Who allowed Rudolph to escape?"