4 IN THE DAYS OF AUDUBON 



skies, the worshiper of the sun, the winged dweller in 

 the chambers of the air, to build a nest like that? " 



" Heaven knows — I don't. "Well, a man can't help- 

 being wanting, so let me carry that nest with all of its rock- 

 weeds and rubbish up to the sky room, as carefully as pos- 

 sible, so as not to litter the stairs." 



"You carry it? I would not trust you to touch it — 

 you, who in your present state of ignorance know little 

 of the wonders of a creation like that. Did you ever 

 read the book of Job? " 



" No, I never did. "What's in" it? Who wrote it? " 



" Wbat is in it? The hidden secrets of the universe. 

 "Who wrote it? Job. He saw behind nature — he had 

 a vision of the instincts of the universe of creatures of 

 air and wings. He " 



" Well, old fellow, you or I must have gone daft, but 

 I am left in charge of this hotel. So take the nest, and 

 I will show you the room in the cockloft under the rafters." 



The stranger took up the nest very carefully, and fol- 

 lowed the clerk up the hard oak stairs. As they passed 

 the rooms on the second floor, where doors were open, 

 the clerk said: 



" Look in there — the chambers are herrin'-boned with 

 sand, as white as marble, all ready for the court, who 

 will be here soon on horseback. I don't know what the 

 judge would think to find a man here with an eagle's nest 

 and what not. I wish your visit had been deferred. I will 



