Krag, the Kootenay Ram 





spur, right up to the Crow's Nest Pass; then 

 westward, in the face of the White Wind, the 

 indomitable pair turned their steps, west and 

 south to the McDonald Range ; and onward 

 still, till the Galtom Range was reached. Day 

 by day the same old mechanical following — two 

 dark moving specks on the great expanse of 

 snow. Many a time their trail was crossed by 

 that of other Sheep and other game. Once 

 they met a party of miners who knew of Scotty 

 and his hunt, and they chaffed him now ; but he 

 stared blankly, heeded them not, and went on. 

 Many a time the Ram sought to hide his fateful 

 footprints in the wake of some passing herd. 

 But Scotty was not to be balked ; his purpose 

 had become his nature. All puzzles he worked 

 out, and now there were fewer interruptions 

 of the chase, for the snow-storms seemed to 

 cease, the White Wind held aloof, and Nature 

 offered no rebuke. 



On and on, still the same scant half-mile 

 apart ; and on them both the hands of Time and 

 Death seemed laid. Both were growing hollow- 

 eyed and were gaunter every day. The man's 

 hair had bleached since he set out on this in- 



92 



''M\VK* 



