Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-06-30
CHAPTER l-continued.

The 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
ne 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 naturalists acquire the art with
training. It was therefore rather Gu
TiOus that Dan succeeded so well the
FIRST time he tried it. He had sense
enough to relax first, before he froze.
Thus he didn't put such severe
strain on his muscles.
The squirrel, after ten seconds had
elapsed, stood on 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 short
distance and tried to get focus with
both. Then he came some haIf-dozen
steps nearer.
A moment before he had been GER
tain that a living creature-in fact
one of the most terrible and powerful
aiving creatures in the world-had
been sitting on the park bench. Now
his poor little brain was completely
added. He was entirely ready to be-
aieve that his eyes had deceived him.
Bushy-tail drew off little further,
fully convinced at last that his hopes
of a nut from a child's hand were
blasted. But he turned to look once
more. The figure still sat utterly in
ert. And all at once he forgot his de-
vOuring hunger in the face Of an over
whelming curiosity.
He came somewhat nearer and
looked long time. Then he made a
half-circle about the bench, turning
his 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. And then he sprang upon
the park bench.
Dan moved then. The movement
consisted Of a sudden heightening of
the light In his eyes. But the SOUR
ael didn't see it. 1t 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
devoured from head to tail with curl
osity. And then he leaped on Dams
knee.
He was quite convinced, by now,
that this warm perch on which he
stood was the most singular and in
teresting object of his young life. It
was true that he was family worried
by the smell that reached his nostrils.
But all 1t really did was further to in
cite his curiosity He followed the
leg up to the hip and then perched on
the elbow. And an instant more he
was poking a cold nose into Dams
neck.
But if the squirrel was excited by
all these developments, its amazement
was nothing compared to Dams. 1t
had been the most astounding Incl
dent in the mans life. He sat still,
tingling with delight. And in single
dash of Inspiration he knew he had
come among his own people at last. BE
knew where he would spend his last
six months of life.
His own grandfather had been a
hunter and trRpper and frOntiersman
in certain vast but little known Ore
gon forest. His son had moved to the
eastern cities, but in Dams garret
there used to be old mementOes and
curios from these savage days--a few
claws and teeth, and q, fragment OF an
old diary. The call had come to him
at last. Tenderfoot though he was,
Dan would go back to those forests,
to spend his last six months of life
among the wild creatures that made
them their home.