MULE DEER AND MOUNTAIN GOAT 87 



firm broad tracks led between, and following these 

 I found myself at length in safety. It was still 

 so bitterly cold that I could hardly hold the rifle, 

 but the storm was passing, and as we came in sight 

 of the valley again the sun was shining. The wind 

 had gone too, leaving in its place a gentle breeze. 

 From the blackened branches of the deadened pine 

 trees it blew little puffs of snow, sending them 

 forth upon adventurous voyages like a miniature 

 fleet of white-winged ships. Great white fluffy 

 masses of cloud came shooting up out of the blue 

 beyond in a manner which you may look for, but 

 will not see, in the low countries. The phantom 

 right-angled forest appeared again on the burnt 

 ridge as if by magic ; hardly a sound broke the 

 stillness, and the valley looked much as it had done 

 an hour or so earlier ; only we were much closer to 

 the spur. Up the glen the sun showed shyly from 

 behind a bank of cloud and lit up the distant snow- 

 covered peaks. From every ridge, or so it seemed, 

 wisps of smoke were blowing, here, long and full- 

 drawn ; there, broad and compressed. In a hollow 

 a castle hospitably smoked, the fumes from a dozen 

 chimneys melting among the pines ; from a rocky 

 promontory over yonder fleecy puffs shot forth from 

 old-time cannon welcoming a victorious general back 

 from the wars. A dozen lesser ridges flaunted pearl- 

 grey wreaths, as though from lowland steadings, 

 ravaged in those days when Grierson of Lag rode 

 forth in the king's name, or that Douglas called 



