The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-01-21

vi a. uistuut WOlI Ildue tnem quiet anu
fearful. During this lull in their strug.
giles Donald put all of his strength
and energy into n few desperate eff.
forts to pry the horns apart. How hard
and tough they appeared, yielding slow
ly to his tug and pull. Twice he mad
the obstinate horns at the point of
slipping apart, but they fell back In
their former position with sharp
click. Each time the bucks jumped
sideways and tried to renew their
struggles.
But the third time Donald was more
successful. With final effort he swung
the largest horn around the bend in
the other, and then released II. There
was louder click than before, and the
two bucks leaped foot in the air.
But much to their own surprise they
raised their heads in the air and shook
them free. They stared at each other,
twisted their necks to see II 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
like 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-"
Donald said, knowing the bellicose ma
ture of the animals. Il can drop both
of you in your tracks,"
He held his rife 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 or quar-
rel any more. Donald raised his rifle to
his shoulder and muttered:
How easily l could drop them! l
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 rifle. but
each time he shook his head and added:
1T would be a 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. well,
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 peen so
interested in the two deer that he had
given little attention to the approach
ing storm; but now he whistled sharply
and turned to move down the trail. The
clouds of snow were obliterating 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 a 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 1t and had followed a 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 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.
II might have left them alone to
fight it out or shot them and moved
on" he said bitterly. II saved their
lives. but I've lost. 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 ouI
| of tho clouda of auow