till, seeing that my credulity and patience were 

 failing, she broke silence for a desperate last 

 act, and fell in a fit, screaming. Kill- dee, Mil- dee, 

 Mil-dee! 



There she lay in the agony of death. I stooped 

 to pick her up ; but she happened to flutter a 

 little— the death-spasm. I stepped forward to 

 take her. Putting my hand down, I— ah ! not 

 dead yet ! Poor thing ! She jerked just out 

 of my hand— reflex action, no doubt. But now 

 it is all over ; she is dead, and I bend to pick 

 her up, when, springing like an arrow from my 

 grasp, killdeer, ringing out her wail, goes swiftly 

 flying across the hill. 



Fooled ! Yes ; but not altogether fooled, for 

 I knew that it would turn out so. The im- 

 postor ! But was n't it beautifully done ? I 

 shall never grow too wise to be duped. 



She has played me a trick, and now I will 

 revenge myself and find her nest. I shall — 

 perhaps. 



■ In the agony of death." 



[205] 



