Krag, the Kootenay Ram 



spell, he sighted the great Ram himself, bound- 

 ing lightly down a ridge a mile away, and 

 close behind him were three Ewes. They dis- 

 appeared down a pine-clad hollow, and when 

 they reappeared on the next ridge they were 

 running as though in great alarm, their ears 

 laid back ; and from the hollow behind came, 

 not, as Lee expected, the crack of Scotty's 

 rifle or the sound of his yell, but the hunting 

 chorus of Timber Wolves. Among the rocks 

 the Sheep could easily escape, but among the 

 timber or on the level such as now lay ahead, 

 the advantage was with the Wolves ; and a min- 

 ute later these swept up in sight— five shaggy, 

 furry brutes. The level open was crossed at 

 whirling speed. The Sheep, racing for their 

 lives, soon lengthened out into a procession in , r 



order of speed : far ahead the great Ram ; *<■ f ' 



behind him, with ten-yard gaps between them, ft jf* £j 



the three Ewes ; and forty yards behind the last, W 



the five grim Wolves, closing, gaining at every ' 



leap. The bench-land narrowed eastward to 

 pass a rocky shoulder. Long years and count- 

 less perils had taught the Sheep that in the 

 rocks was safety, and that way led the Ram. 



77 



