Page:Life Amongst the Modocs.djvu/73



" What in hell are you doing here anyhow?" ....

My spirit mercury fell to freezing point before night.

At dusk I again sought the rude half-open stable, put ray arms around my pony s neck, caressed him and talked to him as to a brother. I wanted, needed something to love and talk to, and this horse was all I had.

I trembled lest the negro should be near, and hastened to climb again into the loft and hide in my nest of hay.

It was late when I awoke. I had a headache and hardly knew where I was. When I had collected my mind and understood the situation, I listened for the negro s voice. I heard him in the far part of the stable, and, frightened half to death, hastened to descend.

When a young bear up a tree hears a human voice at the root it hastens down, though it be perfectly safe where it is, and will reach the ground only to fall into the very arms of the hunter.

My conduct was something like that of the young bear. I can account for the one about as clearly as for the other.

My hat was smashed in many shapes, my clothes were wrinkled, and there were fragments of hay and straw in my hair. My heart beat audibly, and my head ached till I was nearly blinded with pain as I hastened down.

There was no earthly reason why I s