it
wiped its face for there was blood pouring out of the cut between its
shining green eyes. It twitched its mouth till the black fur stood up.

"Come, get up, Spotty!" Tillie and the children coaxed the pig. "Here's
more dishwater slop for you. Here's some cornbread!"

Slowly the pig got to its knees, then to its feet. It grunted once only
and fell over dead.

After that old Pol Gentry wasn't seen for days. But when Tillie Bocock
did catch sight of her, Pol turned off from the footpath and hurried
away. Even so Tillie saw the deep gash in Pol's forehead oozing blood
right between her eyes. She saw Pol Gentry's mouth widen angrily and the
black hair about it twitch like that of a snarling cat, as she slunk
away.

THE DEER WOMAN AND THE FAWN

Amos Tingley, a bachelor, and a miser as well, lived in Laurel Hollow.
Nearby was a salt lick for deer. Often he saw them come there a few at a
time, lick the salt, and scamper away. There were two he noticed in
particular, a mother and its fawn. They had come nearer than the salt
lick--into his garden--more than once and trampled what they did not
like, or nibbled to the very ground things that suited their taste,
vegetables that Amos had toiled to plant and grow. He didn't want to
harm the animals if it could be helped so Amos thought to make a pet of
the fawn. When a boy he had had a pet fawn, carried it in his arms. He
even brought it into the house and when it grew older the little
creature followed at his heels like a dog. He reached a friendly hand
toward this fawn in his garden but it kicked up its heels and fairly
flew down the garden path. However, the mother, watching her chance when
Amos had returned to the house, led her fawn into the garden again and
together they ate their fill of the choicest green things.

It annoyed Amos Tingley no little. He determined to put a stop to it.
One evening he greased his old squirrel rifle. He took lead balls out of
the leather pouch that hung on the wall, rolled them around in the palm
of his hand, and wondered when his chance would come to use them. As he
sat turning the thoughts over in his mind pretty Audrey Billberry and
her little girl, Tinie, came along the road. Audrey was a widow. Had
been since Tinie was six months old. Some wondered how she got along.
But Audrey Billberry was never one to complain and if neighbors went
there she always urged them to stay and eat. If it was winter, there was
pl