New-York tribune., 1911-04-02

50 from the water cupc. IHcl IO oiui'N ~
without pausing to digest the situation, the
most dispirited fisher that had ever roarned
the maskceg.
The swan, catching glimpse Of his flight,
filled the solitudeS with the Sonorous truin-
petings of his triumph, and swan proudly
back to the nest.
A s the five long weeks Of brooding for the
n patient mother on her nest drew near
an end. there came TO the Barren Grounds a
time Of unprecedented drought. The IN
Vulnerable streams that drained the soaking
maskecg ran shallow as they had never run
before within the memory OF the long hVed
swans Under the long unshadoWcd warmth
the lake shrank amazingly; and at last, 10
the vexaton OF the keepers Of the nest, Their
islet ceased to be perfectly an lslet. Inc
group Of tilted strata that formed 1t rose 50
far out of water that a thin topped ledge was
revealed connecting them with the shore.
II was no more than a series OF widely Scpar-
ated and precarouS stepping stones, aWaSh
in the smallest ripple; but II was enough to
allow sufficiently nimbe wanderer TO visit
the islet dry shod. The swans eyed 1t with
growing dsquiet.
AT last came the day when the patient
orooder heard strings, and tapplngs, and
Thin little cries coming from the six precious
eggs beneath her breast. From time TO time
She would lower her head among them TO
listen cnraptured, or to answer with soft
sounds Of encouragement IN her throat. fier
mate drew closer to the nest. forgetting to
eat, but never forgetting to keep a fcrccly
watchful eye upon the ledge connecting with
the shore.
Soon one of the baby cygnets, having di-
vided the shell into two halves by the or
dered strokes Of his sharp tipped bill. thrust
I'D the top portion as if it had been Id. and
sprawled forth all wet against its mothers
hot and naked breast. The mother pushed
one half of the shell within the other that
they might take up less room, and then,
little later. threw them out Of the nest lest
they should get fitted on over the end OF an
other egg and smother the occupant. Pres
emily two more eggs hatched almost simul-
taneouSy. The ecstatic mother was now
half standing in the nest to give the damp
SpraWlerS room.
TT was at this time that the old gray lynx,
L proving down nearer 70 the water 5 edge
than was his wont. observed the stepping
stones and decided 70 come over. He had
wanted those great white birds for long
time.
Now, the most powerful Of swans, in usual
circumstances and conditions. is no match
for the lynx. but helpless quarry, merely, tor
that fierce and powerful marauder.. But
often in defense of their young the wild crea-
lures develop powers and heroisms un..
dreamed Of at other times. At such period
they become utterly reckless OF odds; and
such temper may often accomplish the I'M
possible. Moreover. it is one thing TO hold
a bridge and another to fight in the open.
There was no uncertainty in the minds OF
the two swans as to the deadliness OF this
peril. They knew all about lynXes. The
mother bird stood up among her eggs and
Young. and stepped delicately from the nest,
Kissing and beating her wings. Both birds
knew better than to attack this foe by water
or by land With screams Of hate they rose
laboriously into the air.
The lynx had reached the second stepping
stone. a sharp and narrow one. and was bal
ancing himself with the caution OF house
cat afraid of wetting her feet, before taking
the next leap. lust as he gathered himself
to spring, the male swan struck him from his
foothold. His fore paws. indeed. and his
whiskered muzzle went into the water; but