The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-18


PAGES; the fawn started up, with al
anxious bleat the doe turned; sfe
came back she couldn't leaveit. Shs
bent over it, and licked it, and seem
ed to say, Come, nv child, we are
pursued; we must 60" She walked
away towards the wess, ana the lit
tie thing skipped after her. 1t wat
slow going for the slender legs, over
the fallen logs and through the rasp-
ing bushes. The doe bounded in ad
vance, and waited; the fawn scram-
bled after her, slippingand tumbling
along, very groggy yet on its legs,
aud whining good deal because its
mother kept always moving away
from it. The fawn evidently did not
hear the hound; the little innocent
would even have looked sweetly at
the dog and tried to make friends
with il, if the brute had been rushing
upon him. By all the means at her
command the doe urged her young
one on, but it was slow work. She
might have been mile away while
they were making few rods. When
ever the fawn caught up, he was
quite content to frisk about be want
ek more breakfast, for one thing, and
bis mother wouldn't stand still she
moved on continually, and his weak
legs were tangled in the roots of the
narrow deer path.
Shortly came sound that threw
the doe into panic Of terror-a
short, sharp yelp, followed by q pro-
longed howl, caught up and re-echoed
by other bayings along the mount
ain side
The d kuew what that meant.
Oae hound had caught her trail, and
the whole pack responded to the
view halloo." The danger was cer-
tain now; it was near. She could
not crawl on in this way the dogs
would soon be on them. She turned
again for flight the fswn, scramb-
ling after Der, tumbling over and
bleating pitsously. The baying, en-
pbasized now by the yelp Of certain
ty, came nearer. Flight with the
lawn was impossible. The doe re.
turned and stood by it. head erect
and nostrils distended. She stood
perfectly still, bat trembling. Per-
haps she was thinking. The fawn
took advantage of the situation, and
began to draw his luncheon ration.
the doe seemed to have made up her
mind. She let him finish. The fawn,
having taken all be wanted, Law down
conteatedly, and the doe licked him
for moment Then, with the swift
ness OF a bird, she dashed away, and
IN a moment was lost in sthe forest
She went in the direction of the
houndsl According to- ali human
calculations, she was going into the
jaws OF death. So she was; all hu-
man calculations are selfish. She
kept straight on, hearing the baying |
every moment more distiactly she |
descended the slope Of she mountain |
until she reached the more open for
est of hard wood it was freer going |
here, and the cry Of the pack echoed |
more resoundingly in the great spa
ces. She was going due east, when, |
Judging by the sound, the hounds
were not far oil, though they were |
still hidden by ridge, she turned |
short away TO the north, aud KEEP. on |
at coed pace. In Eve minutes more |
she heard the sharp, exu!tant yelp of |
discovery, and then the deep mouth
ed howl of pursuit. The hounds had
struck her trail where she turned, and |
the fawn was safe.
The doe was in good running con-
dition, the ground was not bad, and |
she felt the exhiliaration of the chase.
Fer the moment fear left her, and she
bounded on with the exaltation ofl
triumph For quarter OF an hour
she went on at Shaping pace, clear
lag the moose bushes with bound af-
ter bound, flying over the fallen logs,
pausing neither for brook nor ravine.
The baying of the hounds grew faint
er behind her But she struck bad |
piece Of going, a desd-wood slash.
Ii was marvellous to see her skin
over it, leaping among its intricacies
and not breaking her slender legs;
DO other living animal could do it.
But it was killing work she began
to pant tesrfnlly; she lost ground
the baying of the hounds was nearer.
She climbed the bard wood bill at
slow gait; bat once on more level,
free ground, her breath came back to
her, aad she stretched away with new
courage, and may be q sort of con-
tempt Of her heavy pursuers
After running st high speed per-
haps half mile further, it occurred
10 her that il would be safe now to
turn to The west, and by wide cir
cult seek her fawn. But at that mo-
ment sbe heard sound that chilled
her heart. 1t was cry ola hound
to tie west Of her The crafty brute
had made the circuit OF the slash and
cut off her retreat. There was moth
ing to do but to keep on; aud on che
went, still to the north with the pack
behind her. In FIVE minutes more
she bad passed into a hillside clear
iDg; cows and young steers were
grazing there, she heard tinkle of
bells. Below her down the mount
ain slope, were other clearings, bro
ken by patches Of woods /; fences in.
teryened, aud mile or two down
Law the valley, the shining Ausable.
and the peaceful farm houses Tha.
way also, her hereditary enemies
were Not merciful heart in all that
lovely valley She hesits,ed j; it was
only for So instant; she must cross
the Slide Brook Valley. if possible,
aud gain the noun tain opposite.
She bounded on; she stopped. What
wss that2 From the valley came
the cry of q searching boundl All
the devils were loose this morning.
Every way vas closed bu. one, and
that led straight down the mountain
to the cluster of houses.
Conspicuous among them was
slender white wooden spire. The
dee did not know that il vas the
spire Of a christian chapel. Bat per-
hsps she thought that human pity
dwelt there, and would be mora mer.
ciful thaa the sharp teeth of the
hounds