TRAIL OF THE SANDHILL STAG 



brought ready answers from the 

 gloomy echoing woods, when sud- 

 denly it flashed upon him: "It's my 

 trail you are on* You are hunting me" 

 The road now led across a little 

 open plain. It would have been 

 madness to climb a tree in such a 

 fearful frost, so he went out to the 

 middle of the open place and sat 

 down in the moonlit snow a glit- 

 tering rifle in his hands, a row of 

 shining brass pegs in his belt, and a 

 strange, new feeling in his heart* On 

 came the chorus, a deep, melodious 

 howling, on to the very edge of the 

 woods, and there the note changed* 

 Then there was silence* They must 

 have seen him sitting there, for the 



light was like day, but they went 

 36 



