78 THE SPRING OF THE YEAR 



ing, when I mentioned iny quest, merely exclaimed, 

 "What in th moderation!" 



You will find a good many uncles and other folk 

 who won't understand a good many things that you 

 want to do. Never mind. If you want to see a buz- 

 zard's nest, let all your relations exclaim while you 

 go quietly off alone and see it. 



I wanted to find a buzzard's nest the nest of 

 the Bear Swamp buzzard ; and here at last I stood ; 

 and yonder on the clouds, a mere mote in the dis- 

 tance, floated the bird. It was coming toward me 

 over the wide reach of the swamp. 



Silent, inscrutable, and alien lay the swamp, and 

 untouched by human hands. Over it spread a quiet 

 and reserve as real as twilight. Like a mask it was 

 worn, and was slipped on, I know, at my approach. 

 I could feel the silent spirit of the place drawing 

 back away from me. But I should have at least 

 a guide to lead me through the shadow land, for out 

 of the lower living green towered a line of limb- 

 less stubs, like a line of telegraph-poles, their bleached 

 bones gleaming white, or showing dark and gaunt 

 against the horizon, and marking for me a path far 

 out across the swamp. Besides, here came the buzzard 

 winding slowly down the clouds. Soon its spiral 

 changed to a long pendulum-swing, till just above 

 the skeleton trees the great bird wheeled and, brac- 

 ing itself with its flapping wings, dropped heavily 

 upon one of the headless tree-trunks. 



