VIII
A last long follow brought the hunt back to familiar ground--amarsh-encompassed tract of woods with three ways in. There was thedeer's trail entering. Yan felt he would not come out there, for heknew his foe was following. So swiftly and silently the hunter madefor the second road on the down-wind side, and having hung his coatand sash there on a swaying sapling, he hastened to the third wayout, and hid. After a while, seeing nothing, Yan gave the low callthat the jaybird gives when there's danger abroad in the woods.
All deer take guidance from the jay, and away off in the encompassedwoods Yan saw the great Stag with wavering ears go up a high lookout.A low whistle turned him to a statue, but he was far away with many atwig between. For some seconds he stood sniffing the wind and gazingwith his back to his foe, watching the back trail, where so long hisenemy had been, but never dreaming of that enemy in ambush ahead. Thenthe breeze set the coat on the sapling a-fluttering. The Stag quicklyquit the hillock, not leaping or crashing through the brush,--he hadyears ago got past that,--but silent and weasel-like threading themaze, he disappeared. Yan crouched in the willow thicket and strainedhis every sense and tried to train his ears for keener watching. Atwig ticked in the copse that he was in. Yan slowly rose with nerveand sense at tightest tense, the gun in line--and as he rose, therealso rose, but fifteen feet away, a wondrous pair of bronze and ivoryhorns, a royal head, a noble form behind it, and face to face theystood, Yan and the Sandhill Stag. At last--at last, his life was inYan's hands. The Stag flinched not, but stood and gazed with thosegreat ears and mournful, truthful eyes, and the rifle leaped but sankagain, for the Stag stood still and calmly looked him in the eyes, andYan felt the prickling fading from his scalp, his clenched teetheased, his limbs, bent as to spring, relaxed and manlike stood erect.
'_Shoot, shoot, shoot now! This is what you have toiled for_,' said afaint and fading voice, and spoke no more.
But Yan remembered the night when he, himself run down, had turned toface the hunting wolves, he remembered too that night when the snowwas red with crime, and now between him and the other there he dimlysaw a vision of an agonizing, dying doe, with great, sad eyes, thatonly asked, 'What harm have I done you?' A change came over him, andevery thought of murder went from Yan as they gazed into each other'seyes--and hearts. Yan could not look him in the eyes and take hislife, and different thoughts and a wholly different concept of theStag, coming--coming--long coming--had come.
* * * * *
"Oh, beautiful creature! One of our wise men has said, the body is thesoul made visible; is your spirit then so beautiful--as beautiful aswise? We have long stood as foes, hunter and hunted, but now thatis changed and we stand face to face, fellow-creatures looking in eachother's eyes, not knowing each other's speech--but knowing motives andfeelings. Now I understand you as I never did before; surely you atleast in part understand me. For your life is at last in my power, yetyou have no fear. I knew of a deer once, that, run down by the hounds,sought safety with the hunter, and he saved it--and you also I haverun down and you boldly seek safety with me. Yes! you are as wise asyou are beautiful, for I will never harm a hair of you. We arebrothers, oh, bounding Blacktail! only I am the elder and stronger,and if only my strength could always be at hand to save you, you wouldnever come to harm. Go now, without fear, to range the piney hills;never more shall I follow your trail with the wild wolf rampant in myheart. Less and less as I grow do I see in your race mere flyingmarks, or butcher-meat. We have grown, Little Brother, and learnedmany things that you know not, but you have many a precious sense thatis wholly hidden from us. Go now without fear of me.
"I may never see you again. But if only you would come sometimes andlook me in the eyes and make me feel as you have done to-day, youwould drive the wild beast wholly from my heart, and then the veilwould be a little drawn and I should know more of the things that wisemen have prayed for knowledge of. And yet I feel it never will be--Ihave found the Grail. I have learned what Buddha learned. I shallnever see you again. Farewell."
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