shoot of the day, when to my
astonishment I found myself next to the Duke of Rittersheim. He was on
my right hand, and therefore had me well under his sound left eye.

I must admit that I felt uneasy when I saw him there; nevertheless, I
went on shooting coolly and had the pleasure once or twice of "wiping
his eye." I even heard a distinct "Bravo" come from him at one of my
shots.

I was, however, far from comfortable in having him for such a close
neighbour under the circumstances, and wished him a hundred miles away.
We shot on until the light got very bad, but there were only a few more
yards to be driven, so we went on. We had nearly finished when I
noticed the Duke of Rittersheim send his loader away to pick up
something he had dropped.

I noted the man run off to fulfil the request, and at the same moment
my eyes were attracted by the last rays of the red sun, already set,
reddening far away the waters of Lynn Deeps.

It was a lovely sight, and my gaze rested on it some moments; then I
suddenly realised that I was practically alone with the Bavarian Duke,
as my loader had walked on a few yards with his back to me.

The Duke was standing quite alone, and in that moment I saw his gun go
up to his shoulder at a bird, then in a flash it turned towards me!

I realised my danger in a moment and threw myself flat on my face. As
I lay there I heard the report of his gun, the swish of the charge, and
a cry from my loader. He had shot him!

I sprang to my feet, and ran to the man, who was standing holding his
arm; but quick as I was the Duke was there before me.

"Are you hurt, my man?" he asked in his sharp tone which I knew so
well. "Where are you hit?"

"It's in the arm, sir," the Norfolk man answered; "it be set fast."

"Look here," said the Duke, quickly taking out a note case. "I can see
you are not badly hurt. Take these bank-notes; here are twenty pounds.
Go quietly away and say nothing about it and I'll give you another
twenty. Do you understand?"

"Yes, me lord," answered the man, who probably had never had so much
money before in his life. "I'll keep mum."

"Can you walk all right?" asked the Duke.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," answered the poor fellow, who was getting
mixed, feeling, no doubt, very faint.

"Then off with you at once," cried the Duke, "and send some one up in
the morning to the Duke of Rittersheim for the other twenty pounds.
Tell the people," he added, as the man went s