THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 293 



lessly walked back and forth and coming close 

 to me, sniffed and fled as if shot. But the grow- 

 ing moonlight coaxed out more prowlers for 

 preys. The night is theirs and the struggle for 

 existence is sharp. But they are wary and keen 

 scented and eyed. They know where are the 

 clover fields, the brook, the gardens, the chick- 

 en coops and the rich finds, and are alert with 

 enterprise. A skunk passed and I did not in- 

 terfere with him. A Whippoorwill lit close by 

 and sang out his weird song-notes over and 

 over, and suddenly flew. A mouse came and 

 stood on my foot and seemed in the act of 

 mounting my leg but some animal from behind 

 seized him and it was done so quickly I gave a 

 start and this animal, a weasel, skipped with 

 his booty and several others of whose presence 

 I knew nothing, fled precipitately. Quiet was 

 soon restored, and I had in the meantime scat- 

 tered freely of bread crumbs and more mice 

 and toads and crickets and a striped snake and 

 two young rabbits and a bird or two fed at my 

 table and never knew the giver. For suddenly 

 back ran the fox and all fled and so did he and 

 again all was quiet. It was a pleasurable watch 

 of gentle wild life seeking its nightly feasts. 

 My every sense tingled with more than a hun- 

 ter's delight. Quietly I withdrew after three 



