fflotee of tbe IRfgbt 



The attempt to banish timidity by having a 

 companion is never a success. We may see no 

 reason why wild life should resent the presence 

 of two and not object to that of one person, but 

 this, in my experience, seems to be true. Cer- 

 tainly there is twice the noise; an overpowering 

 desire to talk; a doubling in fact of every pos- 

 sible objection. To my mind a successful stroll 

 must be taken alone. Fewer night-prowling ani- 

 mals will crouch in the darker corners while you 

 pass by, if they have but yourself to watch and 

 guard against. 



But to my walk: I had not proceeded far 

 when an animal as large as a domestic cat ap- 

 peared to cross my path. I stopped for a mo- 

 ment, and then another came in view. Not seeing 

 distinctly the direction from which they came, I 

 moved slowly forward, and saw still another of 

 these black creatures cross the road. Were they 

 dogs on a still hunt? I did not dare admit to 

 myself that I wished myself away; and, taking a 

 few steps forward, I saw that there was a long 

 procession of these supposed animals, not mov- 

 ing, but fixed as the hills beyond them. They 

 were the tops of fence-posts projecting above the 

 snow. Had I turned back, which was my first 

 impulse, I could have sworn I had seen several 

 animals moving over the snow. So much for the 

 tricks darkness plays with half-timid humanity. 



It occasionally happens that suddenly, without 



