The Thing in the Forest.

           Istrodethroughtheundergrowththatclothedtheridgebehindthehouse,scarcelyheedingwhitherIwent;passedonthroughtheshadowofathickclusterofstraight-stemmedtreesbeyondit,andsopresentlyfoundmyselfsomewayontheothersideoftheridge,anddescendingtowardsastreamletthatranthroughanarrowvalley.Ipausedandlistened.ThedistanceIhadcome,ortheinterveningmassesofthicket,deadenedanysoundthatmightbecomingfromtheenclosure.Theairwasstill.Thenwitharustlearabbitemerged,andwentscamperinguptheslopebeforeme.Ihesitated,andsatdownintheedgeoftheshade.

           Theplacewasapleasantone.Therivuletwashiddenbytheluxuriantvegetationofthebankssaveatonepoint,whereIcaughtatriangularpatchofitsglitteringwater.OnthefarthersideIsawthroughabluishhazeatangleoftreesandcreepers,andabovetheseagaintheluminousblueofthesky.Hereandthereasplashofwhiteorcrimsonmarkedthebloomingofsometrailingepiphyte.Iletmyeyeswanderoverthissceneforawhile,andthenbegantoturnoverinmymindagainthestrangepeculiaritiesofMontgomery’sman.Butitwastoohottothinkelaborately,andpresentlyIfellintoatranquilstatemidwaybetweendozingandwaking.

           FromthisIwasaroused,afterIknownothowlong,byarustlingamidstthegreeneryontheothersideofthestream.ForamomentIcouldseenothingbutthewavingsummitsofthefernsandreeds.