WAYLAYING THE DAWN 



and disappearances as if he dodged back 

 and forth, flitting up under cover of 

 pillars of mist, yet there was no mist 

 there, only the uncertainties of early 

 light which seems to come in squads 

 rather than in company front. This 

 crow turned suddenly in his flight as he 

 neared my pine island in the swamp and 

 lighted in noiseless excitement on a dead 

 limb. A moment he craned his neck, 

 peering sharply at my motionless figure. 

 The crow is at times a scavenger, and 

 if there were dead men about he wanted 

 to know it. For that matter if there 

 was anything else about he wanted to 

 know it, for the crow is likewise a gos- 

 sip. A moment then he gazed at the 

 motionless figure, then he vaulted from 

 the limb and the vigor of his call re- 

 sounded far and near as he flapped 

 away eastward into the crimson. 

 19 



