n the rifle from its hangings, opened
the door, and stepped forth into the outer cold. There was a look of
brave determination in her eyes as she faced the chilly greeting the
world gave her, and, with more of hopefulness than had before appeared
upon her countenance, she struck bravely off along the lake shore,
which at this point receded toward the mountain.

For an hour she kept steadily on, with her eyes constantly on the
alert for the least sign of the wished and prayed-for game. Suddenly
she stopped, and crouched down in the snow, peering straight ahead.
Well might she seek concealment, for there, standing on a point of
land that jutted sharply out into the lake, not forty rods away,
unscreened and plain to view, stood a buck of such goodly proportions
as one even in years of hunting might not see.

The woman's eyes fairly gleamed as she saw the noble animal standing
thus in full sight; but who may tell the agony of fear and hope that
filled her bosom! The buck stood lordly erect, facing the east, as if
he would do homage to, or receive homage from, the rising sun, whose
yellow beams fell full upon his uplifted front. The thought of her
mind, the fear of her heart, were plain. The buck would soon move;
when he moved, which way would he move? Would he go from or come
toward her? Would she get him, or would she lose him? Oh, the agony of
that thought!

"God of the starving," burst from her quivering lips, "let not my
children die!"

Many prayers more ornate rose that day to Him whose ears are open to
all cries. But of all that prayed on that Christmas morn, whether with
few words or many, surely, no heart rose with the seeking words more
earnestly than that of the poor woman kneeling as she prayed, rifle in
hand, amid the snow.

"God of the starving, let not my children die!"

That was her prayer; and, as if in answer to her agonizing petition,
the buck turned and began to advance directly toward her, browsing as
he came. Once he stopped, looked around, and snuffed the air
suspiciously. Had he scented her presence, and would he bound away?
Should she fire now? No; her judgment told her she could not trust the
gun or her aim at such a range. He must come nigher,--come even to the
big maple, and stand there, not ten rods away; then she felt sure she
should get him. So she waited. Oh, how the cold ate into her! How her
teeth chattered as the chills ran their torturing courses through her
thin, shivering frame!