H FOLLOWING 
THE DEER 
150 
WINTER 1TRAILS 
last to my big buck would be no 
short nor easy one. At the thought 
1 ran on, giving no heed when the 
quarry jumped again just ahead of 
me, but pushing them steadily, mile 
after mile, till I realized with a thrill 
that I was gaining rapidly, that their 
pauses grew more and more frequent, 
and I had constant glimpses of deer 
ahead among the trees ; never of 
the big buck but of the two does, 
which were struggling desperately to 
follow their leader as he kept well 
ahead of them breaking the way. 
Then realizing, I think, that he was 
followed by strength rather than 
by skill or cunning, the noble old 
fellow tried a last trick, which came 
