r'^i'^ "^ Krag, the Kootenay Ram 



T ^ face form, he was more like a spirit thing, that 



had no weight and knew no fear of falling, than 

 a great three-hundred-pound Ram with five 

 year-rings on his horns. 



And such horns! The bachelors that owned 

 his guidance had various horns, reflecting each 

 the owner's life and gifts : some rough half- 

 moons, some thick, some thin. But Krag's 

 curled in one great sweep, three quarters of a 

 circle, and the five year-marks told, first, begin- 

 ning at the point, of the year when he was a 

 Lamb, and grew the straight long spikes that had 

 helped him so well in his early fight ; next year 

 the growth thicker and much longer ; the next 

 two years told of yet more robust growth with 

 lesser length ; but the last was record of a year 

 of good food, of perfect health, and unexampled 

 growth, for the span grown then was longer, 

 wider, and cleaner horns than any of the others. 

 Tucked away under the protecting shadow of 

 each rugged base, like things too precious to 

 expose, were his beautiful eyes. Dark brown 

 vi*| rf "6 -j XJ \ when he was a Lamb, yellowish brown when a 



( hj f^T IppR^* yearling, they were now, in his early prime, 



^ f 1 great orbs of shining gold, or splendid amber 



VJ) 60 



