THE THEFT 247 



" That there's the mother's work. We 

 must hunt her down an' settle her to-morrer, 

 or she'll clean out the farm." 



Letting the frightened steers into the barn, 

 he waited anxiously for the tonk-atonk of the 

 black-and-white cow coming home to be 

 milked. When she did not come, that, too, 

 he understood only too well, and his wide 

 mouth set itself grimly. It looked as if those 

 were going to be an expensive pair of cubs. 



After dark, late, the mother stole close up 

 to the cabin. Everything was shut up tight 

 barn, shed, and house alike. At the door- 

 sill she listened long and intently, like a cat 

 at a mouse-hole. Her fine ear made out the 

 heavy breathings of the man and the woman 

 within. It also at length distinguished some 

 faint little growlings and gruntings, such as 

 the cubs only uttered when they were well 

 fed. She prowled around the house all 

 night, the pale flame of her savage and 

 anxious eyes glowing upon it from every 

 direction . Then, at the edge of dawn, she stole 

 away, but not far, to a hiding-place whence 

 she could command a view of the cabin- 

 door. It was within that door that her 

 cubs had vanished. 



The sun was not a half-hour high when 

 the man set forth, and the woman with him, 



