AN INTRUDER 131 



hare, more and more terrified, awaited their 

 return, and before long saw the snow lift along 

 the furrow next the one in which he sat. Then 

 the head of the stoat appeared, but was instantly 

 drawn back as a dark shadow fell on the snow. 



It was a kite who, in her station high over- 

 head, had espied the stoats, and carrion-feeder 

 though she usually was, had come after them. 

 For the bird, ravenous with hunger, was forced 

 to get anything she could secure, and from the 

 medlar-tree on which she alighted watched the 

 snow eagerly for sign of the prey. The stoats, 

 aware of her presence, lay as still as death. An 

 hour, two hours passed, then the bigger stoat 

 cautiously raised his head to reconnoitre, and on 

 seeing that the kite was still there, as cautiously 

 withdrew it, hoping thus to escape her attention. 

 But In vain : nothing could escape the bird's 

 fierce, searching eyes. She Instantly glided to 

 the spot, and with the outstretched talons of her 

 great yellow feet kept grabbing at the heaving 

 snow, yet always too far back to secure the 

 retreating stoat, for he moved with amazing 

 rapidity and never once stopped nor showed his 

 head. Of course the kite could move as fast as 

 he, and ought to have caught him ; Indeed she 

 would have done, had she not been so stupid 

 as to keep striking just behind him. A more 



