THE THEFT 237 



made a quick kill, and satisfied her hunger, 

 and now she was hurrying back to nurse 

 her cubs. 



Just before the door of the cave she caught 

 the scent of the man. The fur arose angrily 

 along her neck and backbone, and she entered 

 in anxious haste. Instantly she came out 

 again, whining and glancing this way and 

 that as if bewildered. Then she plunged in 

 again, sniffed at the place where the kittens 

 had lain, sniffed at the spots where the man's 

 feet had stepped, and darted out once more 

 upon the ledge. But her appearance was 

 very different now. Her eyes blazed, her 

 long and powerful tail lashed furiously, and 

 her fangs were bared to the gums in anguished 

 rage. Lifting her head high, she gave vent 

 to a long scream of summons, piercing and 

 strident. The cry reached her mate, and 

 brought him leaping in hot haste from his 

 ambush beside a spring pool where he was 

 waiting for the appearance of some thirsty 

 deer. But it did not reach the ears of the 

 running man, who was at that moment 

 threading a dense coppice far down the 

 valley. Having sent out her call across the 

 wide silence, she waited for no response, but 

 darted down the trail. The tracks of the 

 despoiler were plain to follow, and her nose 



