Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-02-25


raised their heads in the air and shook
them free. They stared at each other,
twisted their pecks to see if they were
broken, and bent their heads down and
then up again. They danced around
the open space and appeared SO dazed
by their sudden release that they acted
line children just out of school.
Donald laughed aloud and said:
Don't know what to make of 1t, do
you? Well, don't do any more fighting,
or you'll get in trouble again"
The bucks appeared not to notice
him. Then, at the sound of his voice
they stopped and stared. at him. Now
don't try any of your tricks on me, 4"
Donald said, knowing the bellicose ma
ture Of the animals. Il can drop both
of you in your tracks. -.
He held his rifle ready for an emer-
gency, but the bucks after staring hard
at him for several moments turned
quietly and trotted away together in
the forest. They were like two friends
who had made Up their differences, and
were determined not to fight OF quar-
rel any more. Donald raised his rifle to
his shoulder and muttered:
How easily l could drop them!
wonder why don't? I've hunted weeks
before and never got such fine shot as
this. Why don't shoot?"
He lowered and raised his rife, but
each time he shook his head and added:
"It would be shame to shoot them
after helping them out of such family
trouble. 1t wouldn't be right"
Then they got beyond his range, and
he lowered his rifle for good. We'll,
now they are safe, but can't say that
am. It's pretty late and over five miles
to travel. It's showing hard, tool"
The snow was falling heavily, and in
binding clouds. Donald had Deen so
interested in the 1.-TWO deer that he had
given little attention to the approach
ing storm; but now he whistled sharply
and turned to move down the trai' The
clouds of snow were obliteraring it
except for few feet ahead. With bent
head he stared hard at it, studying the
trees as he hurried along. 1t would be
fatal to get off the trail.
The storm was the second half Of a
blizzard-cold, windy, and binding.
The flakes Of snow struck his face with
tingling pain. He tried to ward them
off, but he had to study his path care
fully in order to keep On the trail, and
thus his face had to receive the brunt
of the storm.
He covered mile and then stopped
and painted. Regaining his breath, he
tried to renew the journey. The second
mile seemed harder, for the snow sur
face yielded to his weight, and made
snow-shoeing slow and difficult How
he covered the three miles he could not
say; but when on the point of congrat-
ulating himself at his progress he sud-
denly started with alarm. He was not
on the trail! In some way he had
missed it and had followed false one
for long time.
Donald's heart dropped and his hands
trembled. 1t was almost useless to at
tempt to find it in that binding storm.
Yet he could not give up in despair.
He stopped and tried to think, going
over mentally every back step he had
taken and studying in his mind each
familiar landmark he had noted.
1t was with dreary and almost
hopeless spirit that he finally turned
around and tried to retrace his foot
steps. But these too, were filled up
with the drifting snow a dozen yards
back, and he was more hopelessly
mixed than ever. In his extreme peril
Donald for the first time wished he had
not turned out of his path to save the
deer.
81 might have left them alone to
fight it out or shot them and moved
on" he said bitterly. Il saved their
lives, but .'vc .ost mine"
These reflections irritated him, and
he stopped several times to 'inveigh
against his luck and the deer. "They
were thankless things, anyway" he
finally muttered. They trotted off and
didn't even thank me-"
Donald shook himself. This sort Of
thing would not do. He was slowly
yielding to the cold, and half-dreamily
accusing the deer of his whole trouble.
Once or twice visions Of them had act
ually appeared before his mind. They
looked like white deer" flashing out
Of the clouds Of snow.
eff only knew where was would
not care" doggedly said the fellow.
"But this being lost in storm is ter.
rifying. If I only had something to
guide me or keep me company. There's
that white"
He stopped and hit his head. The VI
sion Of the white deer" had appeared
before his mind again. But this time it
did not disappear when he opened his
eyes. There is stood before him. Donald
gasped and then rushed forward to
touch the animal.
His hands came in contact with the
warm, wet body of an animal, and then
the white deer" sprang forward and
disappeared in the cloud of snow. ut
was no vision Donald said exultantly.
".Well, I'll follow his tracks. Deer al
ways know how to get out of storm" I"
Peering down in the snow he picked
up the small holes made by the deer's
feet, and in few moments he was fol-
lowing the tracks as hound after
game. They led in the opposite direc-
ton from the one Donald had been TAX
ing, and in short time they brought
him to denser part of the woods.
Then the snow obliterated them, and
he was left to his own resources.
Through the deadly stiffness of the
storm there came gentle breathing,
pulsating noise that alarmed Donald.