WITH BEAK AND CLAW 9 



gossip which had reached the boy's ears had taught 

 him that his uncle's enmity was a thing to be 

 feared. 



**Which-all way was he goin'l" Bull queried. 



Shan plucked off another grape-vine tendril and 

 chewed it before he answered, slowly, 



*'I told him you-all were down at the Forks.'* 



The man grunted approvingly and tilted his 

 straw hat on one side to scratch his head. The 

 gesture displayed his hair, still plentiful, of brown 

 streaked with gray, resembling the plumage of a 

 Song Sparrow. His face was tanned with sun and 

 exposure; his eyes, though but half open, were 

 observant ; and, though his slouching attitude sug- 

 gested indolence, it would be hard to find a wild 

 animal more alert in response to danger. His 

 hard, set expression reminded one of the calm 

 ferocity of a bird of prey. 



**Did he have anythin' else to say?" 



Shan repeated, almost word for word, the brief 

 conversation at the cabin door, and, when he had 

 finished, there was a deepened shadow on Bull's 

 face. 



''I reckon I'm a bit too old to have any game 

 warden worryin' around as to when I go out o' 

 nights an' when I don't," he said. 



