Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-02
Battle ROYAL in Forest

At about 2 o'clock in the morning. at that
mystic hour when nature seems to send a
message to all her animate children, pre-
pairing them for the advent OF dawn, the
white stallion got UP, shook himself, step
ped softly down to the brooks edge for a
drink, and then fell to cropping the grass
wherever it remained green. The forest,
though to a careless ear it might have
seemed as silent as before had in reality
stirred to a sudden, ephemeral life. Far Off,
from some high rock, she fox barked
sharply. Faint, muffied chirps from the
thick bushes told of junkos and chickadees
waking up to see if all was well with the
world The mice set up a scurrying in the
grass, And presently a high-antlered buck
stepped out Of the shadows and started
across the open toward the brook.
The dark buck himself moving shadow,
saw the stallion first, and stopped with
loud snort of astonishmen. and defiance.
The stallion wheeled about, eyed the in
truder for a moment doubtfully, then
trotted up with whinny of pleased inter-
rogation. He had no dread of the antlered
visitor, but rather a hope Of companion
ship in the vast and overpowering loneli-
ness of the alien night
The buck, however, was in anything but
a friendly mood. His veins ahame with the
arrogant pugnacity of the rutting season,
he saw in the white stranger only pos
sible rival, and grew hot with rage at his
approach. With an impatient stamping Of
his slim fore-hoOfs he gave challenge But
to the stallion this was an unknown Ian
guage. Innocently he came up, his nose
stretched out in question, till he was within
few feet Of the motionless buck. Then,
to his establishment, the latter bounced
suddenly aside like a ball. stood straight
up on his hind legs, and struck at him like
lightning with those keen-edged, slim fore
hoofs 1t was a savage assault, and two
long red furrows-one longer and deeper
than the other-appeared on the stations
silky white flank.
In that instant the wanderers friendli-
ness vanished, and an avenging fury took
its place His confidence had been cruelty
betrayed. With harsh squeal his mouth
wide open, and lips drawn back from his
formidable teeth, he sprang at his assail-
ant. But the buck had no vain idea OF
standing up against this whirlwind Of
wrath which he had evoked. He bounded
aside, lightly but hurriedly, and watched
for an opportunity to repeat his attack.
The stallion, however, was not to be
caught again; and the dashing ferocity Of
his rushes kept his adversary ceaselessly
on the move. bounding into the air and
Ieaping aside to avoid those disastrous
teeth The buck was awaiting what he felt
sure would come, the chance to strike
again; and his confidence in his own SUI
preme agility kept him from any appTehen-
sion as TO the outcome Of the fight
But the bucks great weakness lay IN his
ignorance, his, insufficient knowledge of the
game he was playing. He had no idea that
his rushing white antagonist had any other
tactics at command. When he gave way,
therefore, he went just far enough TO es-
cape the stations teeth and battering fore
feet The stallion, on the other hand, soon
realized the futility Of his present method
OF attack against so nimble an adversary.
on his next rush, therefore just as the
buck bounced aside, he wheeled In a short
half circle, and dashed out high and far
with his steel-shod heels. The buck was
lust within the most deadly range Of the
blow. He caught the terrific impact on the
base OF the neck and the forward point Of
the shoulder and went down as II an explo-
sive bullet had struck him Before he
could even stir to rise the stallion upon
him, trampling, battering squealing biting
madly; and the fight was done. When the
wanderer had spent his vengeance, and
paused, snorting and wild-eyed TO take
breath, he looked down upon a mangled
shape that no longer struggled or stirred
or even breathed. Then the last Of his
righteous fury faded out The sight and
smell Of the blood sickened him, and in
kind OF terror he turned away. For a few
hesitating moments he stared about his
little retreat and then. finding II had grown
hateful to him, he forsOok Il and rushed
onward on the edge OF the stream. between
the black. impending walls Of the forest