Part 8 (1/2)

At these words the Hare becaain

It sat up and very reflectively began to rub its still shadowy nose with a shado I think that it relass of thethrough which it had sprung

Believing that its reether e, I looked aboutGates to see whether the Lights had yet begun to change Then as they had not I looked down the Great White Road, following it for ht it lost itself in the Nowhere

Presently coreen coat, riding-breeches and boots and a peaked cap, who held in his hand a hunting-whip He was a fine-looking person of ht blue eyes, and very red cheeks, on which he wore light-coloured whiskers In short a jovial-looking individual, hoone well, one to whole were utter strangers He, at least, had never knohat it is to ”endure hardness” in all his life

Studying his nature as one can do on the Road, I perceived also that in hi hts, who had done many kindnesses and contributed liberally towards the wants of the poor, though as he had been very rich, it had cost his of his heart

Moreover he hat Jorsen calls a ”young soul,” quite young indeed, by which I mean that he had not often walked the Road in previous states of life, as for instance that Eastern woman had done who accosted me before the arrival of the Hare So to speak his crude nature had scarcely outgrown the primitive human condition in which necessity as well as taste make it custoh which almost every boy passes on his way toof soht that first led me to connect the new-comer with the Red-faced Man of the Hare's story It e that I should have been so dense, but the truth is that it never occurred to me, any more than it had done to the Hare, that such a person would be at all likely to tread the Road for athered that he was coued otherith the Hare, had concluded therefore that he would continue to live his happy earth life until old age brought him to a natural end Hence htfully, evidently s but not in the least afraid Indeed there none are afraid; when they glide from their death-beds to the Road they leave fear behind them with the other terrors of our mortal lot

Presently he becahts passed through his mind which of course I could read

”My word!” he said to his are better than I hoped There's a hare, and where there are hares there un, or the ghost of a gun!”

Then an idea struck hi-crop and hurled it at the Hare

As it was only the shadow of a crop of course it could hurt nothing

Still it went through the shadow of the Hare and caused it to twist round like lightning

”That was a good shot anyway,” he reflected, with a satisfied smile

By now the Hare had seen him

”_The Red-faced Man!_” it exclaimed, ”Grampus hihtened,” I cried, ”he can't hurt you; nothing can hurt you here”

The Hare halted and sat up ”No,” it said, ”I forgot But you saw, he tried to Now, Mahatma, you will understand what a bloodthirsty brute he is Even after I aain”

”Well, and why not?” interrupted the Man ”What are hares for except to be killed?”

”There, Mahatma, you hear him Look at me, Man, who am I?”

So he looked at the Hare and the Hare looked at hio!” he said slowly, ”you are uncommonly like--you _are_ that accursed witch of a hare which cost me my life There are the white rey splotch on your ear Oh! if only I had a gun--a real gun!”

”You would shoot me, wouldn't you, or try to?” said the Hare ”Well, you haven't and you can't You say I cost you your life What do you mean?

It was my life that was sacrificed, not yours”

”Indeed,” answered the Man, ”I thought you got away Never saw any h the FrenchNever had ti like a h I were a pickpocket, with the drawing-roo the broken china and hitof a table Next ca blackness and I woke up here”

”A fit or a stroke,” I suggested