WHERE THE WAYS DIVIDE 233 



miles between him and the scene of the disaster ere 

 he brought up to rest. 



He did not mourn for his cow long — there were 

 so many cows — but made love whilst the season 

 lasted, madly, joyously, and fought and won always, 

 to lose again sometimes ; for moose cows are con- 

 trary as human feminine things, and changeable as 

 the tides. 



On a western slope the tents of two English 

 sportsmen were pitched in a sheltered corner over- 

 looking a diminutive lake they had christened Lake 

 View, because it overlooked a natural dam, not to 

 mention the ones it overheard. 



With them was a native whose fame as a moose- 

 caller was a growing one. Another season's practice, 

 and he would rival the celebrated Andrew Berg 

 himself, most renowned of all Alaskan hunters. 



Pitka, with his personality, his high wages, and 

 his skill, worthily represented the few professional 

 callers in the country. " Cheap at any price " his 

 satisfied patrons told each other as they measured 

 the antler span of a picked beast attracted to the 

 muzzle of their rifles by the irresistible challenge lure. 



Pitka was a hunchback, almost a dwarf, with an 

 alert perception which had made him master of 



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