The Last of the Barons 83 



could expect. I searched far and wide, over land 

 and over sea ; I reached the ugly country to the 

 south, where the smoke made my eyes water, 

 and the fields were no longer green, and no 

 mice or beetles were to be found ; I turned 

 again for fresher air, and came to a wild and 

 treeless sea-coast, where the Gulls mobbed me 

 and a gun was fired at me : but not one of our 

 kind did I see only the stupid Buzzards, and 

 a Kestrel or two. I gave it up, and thought I 

 was indeed the last of the Barons." 



"And then you found me after all near your 

 old home," said the Baroness, tenderly. "And 

 we have brought up two broods, though what has 

 become of them I know not. And last year we 

 should have done the same, but for the creatures 

 that came up the valley when we were just ready 

 to hatch." 



"Ah," sighed the Baron, and swept away 

 again in a grand ascending curve. 



" Why should they wish to ruin us ? " asked 

 she, as with motionless wings he came near her 

 again. " Do we do them any harm, like the 

 Ravens who dig out the young lambs' eyes, or 



G 2 



