SCENT AND SMELL CONTKASTED. 319 



at once I saw that the deer had passed that spot 

 in the night or very early in the morning, for the 

 graceful wave of Druid's stern conveyed to me 

 the desired information. 



The trace was too faint for this lord of all 

 sylvan truths to speak to, so, though I knew that 

 Ave were on the line of a deer, I gave no cheer, 

 but simjjly said, in a quiet, unexcited tone, ^^Good 

 old dog, have at her." I knew it was a doe by 

 the slot. 



Druid then followed the line at a foot's pace 

 into the woods of the forest, and for a long distance 

 through short fern and over the fallen leaves of 

 hollies, the worst foil possible, and, in short, 

 through all sorts of impediments in the way of 

 scent. Often during that time he lost the cue to 

 the expected '^ lair," and returned some distance 

 back to points to which mysterious certainty had 

 led him, and then took up the research again, so 

 as to be certain that to given sj)ots he had un- 

 doubtedly been right. Thus we went on for a 

 long, long distance. Of course, I took care not 

 to press him too closely so as to interfere with 

 his re-investigations. At last up sprang the doe 

 near me, but closer still to him ; and Druid's full. 



