534 



RECREATION 



outer places. Only the squirrels seemed 

 unconcerned as they busily cut the cones 

 from the tips of the pine trees and stored 

 them in their underground dwellings, 

 against the coming of the snow season. The 

 strange scents were of the hunters and their 

 dogs, the sounds were of their death-vomit- 

 ing guns. Constantly on the whirr were 

 covies of grouse, and once the fawn had 

 been terrified by the sharp ping of a bullet, 

 and which was meant for its mother. Both 

 escaped, however. 



Autumn had almost completed her work 

 when a longing came to the doe. Having 

 taught the fawn the ways of the hills and 

 the valleys, her duty was accomplished, and 

 it ceased to have any more interest for her. 

 She longed for the coming of another four- 

 foot. He came, sleek and brave, tossing his 

 antlers proudly, and when he licked her 

 neck the doe ran along by his side, leaving 

 the fawn to its own resources. It would 

 have followed, but the buck turned with 

 lowered head and made a rush as though 

 about to strike. Scarce in earnest was he, 

 but the fawn could not know. 



Bare had grown the branches of the leaf- 

 bearing trees; snow covered the open places, 

 was scattered along the aisles of the forest 

 and clung to the needles of the evergreens. 

 Nothing was stirring save the wind, and that 

 but slightly. In a dense grove of small 

 spruce, where even the snow could not 

 drift, stood the fawn. It had grown thin, for 

 food was not plentiful. Many times since 

 the white feathers had fallen from the wings 

 of the clouds and covered the hillsides it had 

 known the touch of hunger. It was the time 

 when all of Nature's offspring, living off 

 what the day might chance to provide, 



craved for food. In the rancheria by the ice- 

 rimmed river there was but little in the 

 larders of the simple folk. Sprawling chil- 

 dren cried for meat, the squaws growled, 

 yet the bucks were loth to bestir themselves 

 while the last bit of smoked salmon re- 

 mained. " Needs must when the devil 

 drives," however, and what a driver, what a 

 devil, hunger is. When at length they were 

 forced to leave the blankets and the fires, 

 the bucks set out, several bands going in as 

 many directions. When game is the quarry, 

 the Indian rarely returns empty-handed. 

 He knows just where to seek it at all times. 

 When there's snow on the ground, though, 

 it is not much trouble for any one. Fresh 

 tracks were followed, a band of dusky fel- 

 lows surrounded the thicket, and when all 

 was ready one ventured in. The fawn heard 

 his approach, for not even an Indian could 

 move noiselessly through the thick tangle. 

 As he drew near the fawn caught sight of 

 him, saw that he was a two-legged thing, 

 knew that there was danger in his coming, 

 and so moved silently away. It would leave 

 the thicket and seek sanctuary elsewhere. 

 Unsuspecting, it walked into the trap. 

 Hardly had it passed from the shelter of the 

 bush and entered an open space when it 

 beheld a form rise from a crouching pos- 

 ture. Startled, then, it uttered a frightened 

 sound "peculiar to its kind. Most like a sob 

 was that sound, and paralyzed with fear, it 

 did not, could not move. 



Joy there was in the illahees of the ran- 

 cheria when the hunters returned, for they 

 brought back much game. Over the feast- 

 ing the children were happy and the squaws 

 crooned with pleasure at the prowess of 

 their lords. 



