MY WOODLAND INTIMATES 



quirements for sample locks. She did not halt at 

 my head, however, but proceeded directly over my 

 face until she reached my shoulder. Here she 

 sat up, as if for a critical survey of the situation. 

 It was a relief to me when, at the end of what 

 seemed like a small age, though in reality it was 

 only about a minute, she continued her journey; 

 for the rank, greasy odor which, to a greater or 

 less extent, characterizes all the furry forest-folk, 

 is the atmosphere that immediately surrounds 

 Madame Jolie-Queue. All out-doors is none too 

 spacious for her and her kind. 



Arrived at my feet she evidently saw great pos- 

 sibilities in my boots, for she darted back to the 

 nuts from which I had slowly and cautiously with- 

 drawn my fingers, and carrying the treasures to 

 my feet, she stowed them away under my heels. 

 Then, with nose and paws, she carefully pushed 

 and patted the nuts into place, after which she 

 drew the soft, yielding folds of my dress over the 

 secret store. 



A moment or two of complacent contemplation 

 and she withdrew. On her return she found me 

 seated at my desk, a liberty which she was at first 

 inclined to resent, as various demonstrations of 

 the dancing-bear order attested, but her annoy- 



[82] 



