THE KILLDEER NEST 



CHAPTER VIII 



The Killdeer: Oxyechus Vociferus 



ON THE GROUND 



"JOHN has a nest for you," said a sweet-faced country woman, 

 as she poured my second glass of buttermilk. 



So many wonderful things come to me in that simple way, 

 but my heart always gives the same old thump of delightful an- 

 ticipation. 



"Did he say what kind?" I questioned eagerly. 



"He thinks it's one of these 'killdeer '-crying birds. It flew 

 up right under the horses' noses and he had to pull back hard on 

 them to save the nest. It's in the east corn-field, where he is 

 working. He plowed around it and drove a stake to mark 

 the place for you. There's four eggs and she's gone back to 

 them." 



I thought intently for a moment. "One of these 'killdeer'- 



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