PRONGHORN OF THE PLAINS 181 



from concealment to relieve him. Following 

 them through glasses as they raced on skyline 

 against a cloud, dropped below eyeline, dashed 

 behind a butte, swiftly the great circle followed 

 brought them within half a mile. In plain 

 view another wolf leaped into the race. The 

 antelope was nearly exhausted. The wolves 

 were leaping at her throat as she disappeared 

 over a ridge. Little puffs of dust showed the 

 advance of pursuer and pursued. These grew 

 dim and I watched for the runners to come up 

 on the skyline. But they never appeared. 



I watched a coyote walk back and forth 

 close to a mother antelope with two young kids. 

 She paid no apparent attention to him. But 

 she was besieged. After two or three hours 

 he was relieved by another coyote. This was 

 a new and rather leisurely way of relaying. 

 Evidently the devilish plan was to wear the 

 antelope out or stay until she was forced to go 

 for water and then seize the youngsters. 



It was more than fifteen miles to the next 

 water-hole. This may have been the second 

 or even the third day that the coyotes had been 

 worrying her. I frightened them away, but 

 had not gone half a mile when I saw them cir- 

 cling back again. I do not know the end of the 

 story, but . as I walked on I wished that this 

 mother antelope might have possessed the special 



