Kr ag, the Kootenay Ram 



yards away were lost to view. But it did not 

 last ; the heaviest of it was over in a few minutes, 

 and in two hours the skies were clear again. 

 Scotty waited another hour, but seeing nothing, 

 he left his post and searched about for sign ; 

 and found it, too — a dimpling row of tracks, 

 much hidden by the recent snow, but clear in 

 one place under a ledge. The Ram had 

 passed unseen, had given him the slip, saved by 

 the storm-wind and the snow. 



Oh, Chinook! Mother West Wind! that 

 brings the showers of spring and the snows of 

 winter ; that makes the grass grow on these 

 great rolling uplands ; that sustains the grass 

 and all flesh that the grass sustains ; that carved 

 these uplands themselves, as well as made all 

 things that live upon them — are you only a puff 

 of air, or are you, as Greek and Indian both 

 alike have taught, a something better, a living, 

 thinking thing, that first creates, then loves and 

 guards its own? Why did you come that day 

 and hold your muffler about the eyes of the 

 wolfish human brute, if it were not that you 

 meant he should not see or harm your splendid 

 dear one as he passed? 



And was there not purpose in the meeting of 

 86 



