50 FOEEST CREATURES. 



stands before you and gazes steadfastly in great aston- 

 ishment at you, the intruder, alike the emotion which 

 you are sure to feel, and which will not be repressed. 



You are in the dark pine forest, where all is so lonely 

 and still, and the tall firs with their monotonous form 

 stand immovable. Nothing moves save the flickering 

 shadows on the red trunks, and the sunbeam that comes 

 slantingly in and hangs a great patch of light on a 

 distant stem. It wavers and vanishes. Again it creeps 

 in and lights up the shafts supporting the gloomy roof, 

 and as you peer searchingly into the depth it seems 

 there is a something reddish-brown out yonder in the 

 distance. But there are many bars of light and great 

 flakes of brightness, and a sort of net-work like sun- 

 beams just there towards where you are looking; for 

 the sun is sinking and is shooting red flames upwards 

 into the sky. So you are unable to make out what it 

 may be. However, you still look on, and by degrees 

 you make out a form ; and it grows in distinctness, and 

 with more widely opened eyes you now gaze upon it, for 

 you see parts which were unseen before, and you tell 

 yourself that the red brown bit of colour which the rays 

 illumined so strangely is in reality a stag. But he has 

 observed you some time already, and with head 

 flung back and wondering eye is gazing at you intently. 

 His antlers spread wide above him and give him a most 

 imposing presence. He steps slowly on : the sunlight 



