A Cold Trail 351 



now very tired, for the shoeing was heavy, but the 

 chase was leading homeward. I was mad all through 

 and game to fight it out on that line till darkness 

 came. Presently it began to snow, and in half an 

 hour the air was thick with soft-falling flakes. This 

 was in my favor, save that I sometimes lost sight of 

 the bull, only to rediscover him walking steadily 

 along, headed direct for camp. My only hope 

 was that he might halt to feed. He was going 

 about as fast as I could, and so for two good hours 

 we reeled off the miles at an exercising gait. 



At last the snow almost ceased, but the air was 

 darkening fast, and I guessed we must be within 

 short distance of camp. While I was endeavoring 

 to figure out my exact whereabouts, the bull halted 

 in an open space, bordered on my side by clumps of 

 good cover, and began to feed. My weariness was 

 forgotten in a moment; luck had turned my way 

 at last, for he was in perhaps the best position 

 for me that he could have chosen on the whole 

 barren. 



Sneaking rapidly on as far as was safe, I once 

 again doffed shoes and got down on hands and knees 

 and crawled, and crawled, and crawled, until the 

 cover was gained, and my victim stood broadside on, 

 not eighty yards away. He was feeding, and had no 

 more idea that I was near than I had of shouting. 

 Carefully I rose to my knees and waited one mo- 

 ment to pull myself together for the shot that must 

 needs decide the matter. A last glance at the dis- 

 tance, and at the sight to make certain that it was at 

 the lowest notch, and I thought to myself : 



" Now, my son, I'll just settle for all this tramp. 



