THE SHADOW OF THE DESERT 89 



side and, cutting in ahead, leaped for one of 

 the little fawns. He seized it by the neck, but as 

 he did so he received a terrific shoulder stroke 

 from the mother, who, with a twist in midair, 

 leaped at him as he leaped at the kid. The blow 

 broke his hold upon the kid. It rolled over and 

 over, flashed to its feet without ceasing its for- 

 ward motion, and was off, while the mother, quick 

 after the shoulder blow, fetched the coyote a 

 racking dig in the ribs with all four of her sharp 

 hoofs that sent him spinning and snapping heels 

 over head in the sage. 



Then the race for life was on again. The doe, 

 now leaving two of the kids to their wits and 

 their heels, hung at the side of the crippled one, 

 which the wolf had attacked. The coyote was 

 with her, watching for an opening ; but her de- 

 fense was marvelous, she and the kid seemed 

 one, as hawk and sparrow seem one zigzagging 

 through the air. She literally covered him as 

 they darted along. But the little fellow's strength 

 was failing. Suddenly the wolf whipped under 

 the flank of the mother and with a long leap 

 again caught the kid by the throat, only again to 

 get the terrific shoulder blow and the raking 



