sorry it had been killed; it was such a fine creature. Major Pickford
laughed when I said so, but he promised to get me a live fawn. Nurse, what
is a fawn?"

"It is a young deer, my lady."

"Nurse, please can you tell me anything about fawns? Are they pretty
creatures, and can they be tamed; or are they fierce, wild little things?"

"They are very gentle animals; and if taken young, can be brought up by
sucking the finger like a young calf or a pet lamb. They are playful and
lively, and will follow the person who feeds them like a dog. They are
very pretty, of a pale dun or red colour, with small white spots on the
back like large hailstones; the eyes are large and soft, and black, with a
very meek expression in them; the hoofs are black and sharp: they are
clean and delicate in their habits, and easy and graceful in their
movements."

"Did you ever see a tame fawn?" asked Lady Mary.

"I have seen several, my dear. I will tell you about a fawn that belonged
to a little girl whom I knew many years ago. A hunter had shot a poor doe,
which was very wrong, and contrary to the Indian hunting law; for the
native hunter will not, unless pressed for hunger, kill the deer in the
spring of the year, when the fawns are young. The Indian wanted to find
the little one after he had shot the dam, so he sounded a decoy whistle,
to imitate the call of the doe, and the harmless thing answered it with a
bleat, thinking no doubt it was its mother calling to it. This betrayed
its hiding-place, and it was taken unhurt by the hunter, who took it home,
and gave it to my little friend Ellen to feed and take care of."