The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-03-10
CHAPTER I-continued.

m squirrel was very close to him,
and Dan seemed to know by instinct
that the movement of a single muscle
would give him away. SO he sat as If
he were posing before a photogra-
piers camera. The fact that he was
able TO do it is In itself important. 1t
is considerably easier to exercise
with dumb-bells for five minutes than
to sit absolutely without motion for
the same length of time. Hunters
and naturallsts acquire the art with
training. 1t was therefore rather Gu
rious that Dan succeeded so well the
first time he tried 1t. He had
enough to relax first, before he froze.
Thus he didn't put such a severe
strain on his muscles.
The squirrel, after ten seconds had
elapsed, stood IN his launches to see
better. First he looked a long time
with HIS left eye. Then he turned his
head and looked very carefully with
his right. Then he backed off a short
distance and tried to get a focus with
both. Then he came some h~alf-dozen
steps nearer.
A moment before he had been GER
tain that a living creature-in fact
one Of the most terrible and powerful
living creatures in the world-had
been sitting OF the park bench. Now
his poor little brain was completely
added. He was entirely ready TO be-
lieve that his eyes had deceived him.
B~ushy-tail drew off a little further,
fully convinced at last that his hopes
of a nut from a child's hand were
blasted. But he turned 10 look once
more. The figure still sat utterly in
ert. Ard all at once he forgot his de-
vourlng hunger in the face of al over
whelming curiosity.
He came somewhat nearer and
looked a iong time. Then he made a
holf-circle about the bench, turning
hts head as he moved. He was more
puzzled than ever, but he was no
longer afraid. His Curiosity had be-
come so intense that no room for fear
was left. End then he sprang upon
the park bench.
AttlR INV VI Ntt1A. AhN hiON NV
consisted of a Sudden Frightening of
The light In his eyes,. Bat the SPUR
BEL didn't see it. H. takes a muscular
response to be visible to the eyes of
the wild things.
The squirrel crept slowly along the
bench, stopping to sniff, Stopping to
stare with one eye and another. just
devourel from head to tail with curl
osity. And then be leaped Gu Dams
knee.
He was quite convinced. hy now,
that this warn perch on which he
stood was the most singular aud In
teresting object OF his young lie. 1t
was true that be was family worried
by the smell that reached his nostrils.
But all 1t reilly did was further TO IN
cite his curiosity. He followed the
leg up TO the hir ard then perched on
the elbow. And an instant moro he
was poking a cold nose into Dams
neck.
But IL the squirrel was excited by
all these Developments, rs amazement
was nothing compared 70 Dams. 1t
had been the most astounding Incl
dent In the mans life. He sat still.
tingling with delight. And in a single
flash of inspiration he knew he had
come among hi6 own people at last. BE
knew where he would spend his last
six months of life.
His own grandfather had been a
hunter and trapper and frontiersman
In q certain vast but little known Ore
gon forest. His son he'd moved to the
eastern cities, but in Dams garrett
there used TO be old mementoes and
curios from these savage days-a few
claws and teeth, and a fragment of an
old diary. The cali had come to him
at last. Tenderfoot though he was,
Dan would go back to those forests,
20 spend his last six months of life
among the wild creatures that made
them their home.