252 BESIDE THE GEE AT SALT LAKE. 



Strange to say, however, this little mother did 

 not call for help. Not one of the loud, disturbed 

 cries with which robins greet an innocent bird- 

 student or a passing sparrow hawk was heard 

 from her; though her kinsfolk sprinkled the 

 orchard, she uttered not a sound. For a moment 

 she seemed dazed ; she stood motionless, staring 

 at the invader as if uncertain whether he were 

 alive. Then she appeared to be interested ; she 

 came a little nearer, still gazing into the face 

 of her enemy, whose erect head and glittering 

 eyes were turned toward her. We could not 

 see that he made the slightest movement, while 

 she hopped nearer and nearer ; sometimes on 

 one division of the trunk, and sometimes on the 

 other, but always, with every hop, coming a lit- 

 tle nearer. She did not act frightened nor at 

 all anxious ; she simply seemed interested, and 

 inclined to close investigation. Was she fasci- 

 nated? Were the old stories of snake power 

 over birds true ? Our interest was most intense ; 

 we did not take our eyes from her ; nothing 

 could have dragged us away then. 



Suddenly the bird flew to the ground, and, so 

 quickly that we did not see the movement, the 

 head of the snake was turned over toward her, 

 proving that it was the bird, and not us, he was 

 watching. Still she kept drawing nearer till 

 she was not more than a foot from him, when our 



