The Speckled Heifer's Calf 225 



to a thick clump of spruce. These trees 

 stood so close together that their spreading 

 tops kept out the sunlight quite effectively 

 and a kind of twilight or gloom always 

 reigned beneath them. 



There, in the deepest shadows, as though to 

 screen so sad a sight from the bright light of 

 day, lay the little bossy for which we had 

 searched so long and diligently. He was a 

 perfect beauty, as nature had designed him, 

 with a sleek, glossy coat, generously flecked 

 and dappled like his mother's, but, as we be- 

 held him, he was a pitiful sight. 



His throat was horribly torn as though by 

 hungry fangs, his head and neck were badly 

 lacerated and he was besmeared with his own. 

 bright blood, and covered with blow-flies. 

 The ground about was trampled and blood- 

 stained, the ferns and underbrush were 

 broken and there was every evidence of a des- 

 perate struggle. 



I was too grief-stricken to speak. Ben 

 was carefully noticing all the signs, as was 

 his Indian way. When he had examined the 



