Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-09-24

eyes famed green with indignation as he
watched hertrYing TO steal the prize which
he had already marked down for his own.
He darted forward on tip-toe, noise
lessly, as he thought and made long
leap at the tapping, dusky wings.
But the ears Of an owl are very mir
acle of sensitlveness. They can catch
the squeak Of mouse at a distance
which, for ordinary ears, would make the
sharp clucking OF a chipmunk inaudible.
To the bird on the basket the coming OF
those velvet footsteps were like the scam
per OF frightened sheep. She sprang
into the air without an effort, hung for a
moment TO glare down upon the fox with
her hard. round, moonpale eyes, and then
sailed off without sound, having no
mind to try conclusions with the long
jawed red stranger.
The fox was surprised TO find The trout
lying scattered about the grass, some OF
them bitten and mangled. What, then,
was in the basket2 What was the great
owl trying 10 get at, when The precious
fish were all spread out before her ?
Curiosity dominating his hunger, he step
ped up TO the basket and shifted at the
hole in the lid. Instantly there was a
shril, vicious snarl from within, and a
wide-open, triangular mouth, set with
white teeth, darted at his nose. He drew
back hastily, and sat down on his tail,
ears cooked and head tilted to one side,
to consider.
II puzzled him greatly that there should
be a mink in the basket. Tiptoeing
cautiously around it, he saw that the lid
was slightly open, so that the mink could
come out if he wished. But the fox did
not want him to come out. What the
fox wanted was fish, not fight with an
adversary who would give him a LOT OF
trouble. BY all means, lei the mink stay
in there.
Keeping sharp watch on the lid OF
the basket, the fox backed away eau
tiously several feet, lay down, and tell
to devouring the trout. But never Tor an
instant did he take his eyes oifthat slight
ly moving lid. He lay with his feetgath-
cred under him, every mnscle ready for
action, expecting each moment TO find
himself involved in desperate battle for
the prize he was enjoying. He could
not imagine a fiery-tempered parsonage
like the mink tamely submitting TO the
rape OF his banquet. He felt sure that in
the next second or two snaky black
shape, all teeth and springs and venom,
would dart from the basket and be at his
throat. He was ready but was not hank
ering for trouble.
Meanwhile, there behind the basket
lid, The mink was raging irresolutely. II
CALLED him to the marrow TO watch his
big, arrogant, bush-tailed rival compla-
Gently gulping down those iire tat trout.
But,-wel, he had himself already eaten
one OF the trout, and good part OF an
other. His hunger was blunted. He
could rage within reason. And his rea-
son admonished him to keep out OF this
tight il il could be managed. He knew
the whipcord muscle underlying that soft
red fur, the deadly grip OF those long,
narrow jaws. There is no peace -coun-
seIlor like contented belly. So he snarl-
ed softly to himself, and waited.
The fox, having swallowed as much as
he could hold, stood up, stretched him
self, and licked his chops. The look
which he kept upon the basket was no
less vigilant than before, but there was
now tinge OF scon in it, There were
still some trout left But he wanted TO
get away. He snatched up the two big
gest fish in his jaws, and trotted off with
them 10 the woods, glancing back over
his shoulder as he went.
Before he had gained the cover OF the
fir trees, the mink glided forth, planted
his forepaws on the remaining fish, and
stood staring after him in an attitude OF
challenge. Had the fox returned, the
mink would now have fought. But the
fox had no thought OF returning. There
was nothing TO fight about. He had got
what he wanted. He had no rooted OBJ
lection to the mink having what was left.
He trotted away nonchalantly toward his
burow under the roots Of an old birch
tree on the hill.
The mink stuffed himself till he could
not get another mouthful down. There
were still couple Of trout untouched.
He eyed them regretfulIy but he had
not the fox's wit or providence TO carry
them off and hide them for future use.
He left them. therefore. with collection
OF neatly severed heads and tails, TO mock
the fishermen when they should return
at sunset. He was feeling very drowsy. |
At deliberate pace, quite unlike his |
usual eager and darling movements, ne
made off down the clearing toward the |
water Beneath the bank was an old
hole which he was well ac-
quainted with. Only the other day. in
deed, he had cleared out its inhabitants,
devouring their litter Of young. He |
crawled into the hole, curled up on the |
soft, dead grass Of the devastated nest,
and costly went to sleep.