214 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



strongly expressed by any wild creature. The scent 

 of a human being, so terrifying to all the deer tribe, 

 reached her nostrils, the sight of the intruder filled her 

 with unnameable horror and dread. 



We stood looking at each other, and so interested 

 was I that I made no attempt to get up my rifle, and 

 my position was by no means the comfortable thing 

 I could so easily have made it. The great, soft, 

 round, appealing eyes of the beautiful deer looked 

 full into mine, as though she would read her doom, 

 asking begging entreating praying. 



She asked life of me, and I gave her life, even at 

 the cost of mine hunger. 



" Pass, Agnes Herbert's caribou, and all's well," 

 I said, laying my Mannlicher down, and subsiding 

 myself. 



The creature gathered herself together, and with 

 a rush and an arrow-like dart she cleft the hillside 

 in mighty bounds, disappearing for ever from my 

 ken. 



Ah, well ! I like not to war with feminine things. 

 They have enough to contend with as it is. Let her 

 go, and my blessing with her. 



As to my man, who had seen his certain chops and 

 steaks vanish on the horizon, he met me with a look 

 which should have withered me entirely. 



Fortune, tricksy dame, next half-hour rewarded me 

 full measure, running over. A splendid caribou 

 crossed my line, going strong with a little harem 

 of cows about him. They did not see me, as I 

 dropped in my tracks, and I counted on the chance 

 I ought to have should the animals get the wind, 



