Kagax the Bloodthirsty. 55 



Toward morning he turned homeward, making his 

 way back in a circle along the top of the ridge where 

 his den was, and killing as he went. He had tasted 

 too much; his feet grew heavier than they had ever 

 been before. He thought angrily that he would have 

 to sleep another whole day. And to sleep a whole 

 day, while the wilderness was just beginning to swarm 

 with life, filled Kagax with snarling rage. 



A mother hare darted away from her form as the 

 weasel's wicked eyes looked in upon her. Kagax 

 killed the little ones and had started after the mother, 

 when a shiver passed over him and he turned back 

 to listen. He had been moving more slowly of late ; 

 several times he had looked behind him with the feel- 

 ing that he was followed. He stole back to the hare's 

 form and lay hidden, watching his back track. He 

 shivered again. " If it were not stronger than I, it 

 would not follow my trail," thought Kagax. The fear 

 of a hunted thing came upon him. He remembered 

 the marten's den, the strangled young ones, the two 

 trails that left the leaning tree. " They must have 

 turned back long ago," thought Kagax, and darted 

 away. His back was cold now, cold as ice. 



But his feet grew very heavy ere he reached his 

 den. A faint light began to show over the mountain 

 across the lake. Killooleet, the white-throated spar- 



