304 Trails to Woods and Waters 



again, this time giving a short whistle, whicK 

 sounded like blowing in a bottle. 



At this signal the two feeding does sprang 

 to his side, closely followed by the fawns, and 

 the five deer stood in a close bunch wide-eyed 

 and fearful. Their heads held high in the air, 

 and their nostrils distended, their every sense 

 was strained to catch the slightest sound or 

 scent. 



Again the wind blew strong at our backs, 

 and this time there was no mistaking the 

 taint. With a snort of terror the buck 

 wheeled and led the wild procession at a 

 breakneck pace across the valley and over the 

 distant hilltop. 



In fewer seconds than it takes to tell it, the 

 gloom had swallowed them and the magic of 

 the few fleeting moments was broken. 



How suddenly the scene changed. Almost 

 in a twinkling the long purple shadows turned 

 to black, the sun disappeared from the distant 

 hilltops, and only a blood red spot showed 

 where the horizon had been warm and glow- 

 ing a minute before. 



