WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
the price of the betrayal of sanctuary. lolar, 
from the vane, watched him, half-warily half- 
contemptuously. Man he knew as a power 
who let loose lead and flame at sight ; but 
already he understood that under the gold cross 
the thunder of the gun was never heard, and 
what else was to be feared ? He had yet to 
learn that man himself once trusted and was 
betrayed, and that since then he holds no 
sanctuary sacred. 
IV 
Two days later lolar came out at dawn. The 
edges of the sunrise clouds were hard and 
golden ; the wind blew freshly off the sea. A 
flight of teal, travelling northwards over the 
city, predicted hard weather. lolar looked 
down upon the roof of the tower. Three or 
four jackdaws, perched on the parapet, were 
eagerly discussing some untoward happening. 
The daws were always full of noisy talk, and 
lolar seldom flew at them now unless he could 
not obtain a pigeon ; nevertheless, this time he 
looked more closely, for they were evidently 
baiting something in the angle of the parapet. 
At that distance it was something which looked 
like a stone. His curiosity whetted, lolar 
swooped majestically from the spire's level, and 
56 
