There he stood: how could it be? It was reality yet more than reality.
The hunter walked straight toward him with the light of recognition in his eyes. He came and stood before Webster and looked down at him with a smile:
"I have looked everywhere and I cannot find him."
The hunter sat down and laid on the grass beside him his fowling piece, his game bag holding new species of birds, and his portfolio of fresh drawings. Then he turned upon Webster a searching look as if to draw the inmost truth out of him and asked:
"Why do you look for the Kentucky Warbler?"
"Something in you makes you seek him, but you do not know what that something is?"
"No, I do not know what it is: I know I wish to find him."
"Yes, all the wild things in the forest--and the wild forest itself."
"You wish to know about these things--you wish to know them?"
The hunter searched Webster's countenance more keenly, more severely:
There was silence. The forest was becoming more wonderful. The singing of the unseen birds more silvery sweet. It was beyond all reality. Webster answered:
The hunter hurled questions now with no pity:
"Would you be afraid to stay here all night alone?"
"If, during the night, a storm should pass over the forest with thunder deafening you and lightning flashing close to your eyes and trees falling everywhere, you would fear for your life and that would be natural and wise; but would you come again?"
"If it were winter and the forest were bowed deep with ice and snow and you were alone in it, having lost your way, would you cry enough? Would you hunt for a fireside and never return?"
"You can stand cold and hunger and danger and fatigue; can you be patient and can you be persevering?"
"Look long and not find what you look for and still not give up?"
There was silence for a little while: the mood of the hunter seemed to soften:
"You did not know then, that this is the wilderness of your forefathers--the Kentucky pioneers. You have wandered back to it."
"Are you beginning to realise what it means to be sprung from such men and women?"
The hunter stood up and gathered his belongings together. His questions had become more kind as though he were satisfied. He struck Webster on his shoulder.
"_Come_," he said, as with high trust, "_I will show you the Kentucky warbler._"