nkey, decided to
abandon civilised life in favour of a more roaming career in the woods,
which he doubtless felt was his only true vocation. He had fared ill
at the hands of the Germans, and during the entire Winter our own boys
had used him regularly to haul dead wood. This kind of _kultur_ he
resented distinctly, and resolved to show his disgust by becoming more
independent.

First he tried it out for a day or two at a time. Then he was gone a
week, and finally he disappeared altogether.

Being of sociable disposition he joined a little herd of deer which was
the pride and joy of our woods, and one afternoon I came upon this
motley company down by a little lick we had arranged on the brink of a
tiny river that crosses our estate.

As I approached they all lifted their heads. A baby fawn, frightened,
scurried into the underbrush. But the others let me come quite close,
and then gently, as though to display their nimbleness and grace,
bounded away mid the tender green foliage, gold splashed here and there
by the fast sinking sun. _Fil-de-Fer_ stood a moment undecided.
Presently, lifting his hind legs high into the air he gave vent to a
series of kickings and contortions which might have been taken for a
comical imitation, while a second later as though realising how
ridiculous he had been, he fell to braying with despair, and breaking
into a gallop fled in the direction of his new found friends.

Simultaneous with _Fil-de-Fer's_ disappearance came the rumour that the
_Loup-garou_ was abroad and was sowing panic in its wake. Just what
kind of animal the _Loup-garou_ might be, was somewhat difficult to
ascertain. No one in our vicinity had ever seen him, and from all I
could gather he seemed to be a strange sort of apocalyptic beast,
gifted with horns, extraordinary force, and the especial enemy of
mankind.

There was something almost uncanny in the way the peasants would look
at one and lower their voices when speaking of this weird phenomenon,
and presently from having suspected my innocent donkey, I began to
wonder if I were not in the presence of some local popular superstition.

The rumour was still persistent, when one evening at dark there was an
urgent call from Headquarters asking that we send down for four or five
patients that were destined for our hospital. I do not now recall for
just what reason I went alone, save for a twelve-year-old village lad,
but what I do remember was the respectful mo