224 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



by a jack rabbit who ran across the trail. His 

 eyes were wild with terror. Hardly had he 

 passed when hot upon his heels came a murder- 

 bent coyote with greedy jaws gaping wide 

 ready to grasp his victim. So close was he on 

 the chase that the two or three forward steps 

 which I took, between the time I saw the rabbit 

 and noticed the coyote, placed me between the 

 two, and the coyote found it difficult to stop 

 short enough to prevent himself from dash- 

 ing right into me. As it was, he stumbled and 

 almost threw himself over backwards in the 

 efforts to slacken his pace. As soon as he re- 

 covered himself, he sneakingly ran off to one 

 side, sat down on his tail, and, with his tongue 

 hanging from between his panting jaws, divided 

 his attention between me and the escaping 

 rabbit, looking first reproachfully and scorn- 

 fully at me and then curiously, longingly, and 

 with comical regret at his departing dinner. 

 He was, no doubt, wondering, like men who 

 have suddenly lost long-sought fortunes, how 

 it had all happened so quickly. The rabbit was 

 fully aware of his new chance for life and made 

 away as fast as his strong, lanky limbs would 



