ok like a poison
herb, Wise Bull? Is it like the scraggy Loco Plant of the South
Ranges? Has it not the beautiful blossom of a good herb? Would
Wie-sah-ke-chack, who is wise, put such a tempting coat on a
death plant?"

Shag looked puzzled. Why should A'tim wish him to eat of a Death
Flower; and yet, there was the graze of the Wolf's fang on his
thigh that time they came up out of La Biche River. That surely
had the full flavor of treachery about it. His ponderous mind
worked slowly over the tortuous puzzle.

"I am a stranger here," he said, "and know little of these herbs,
but this Dog-Wolf, who is also an Outcast like myself, has
trailed from the Southland with me, and we have been even as
Brothers. Thinking perhaps that my rough coat was not so fine as
it once was, I listened to the speech of this Dog-Wolf to the end
that this blue-flowered herb will cause the soft, beautiful hair
to grow again."

"It is the Death Flower," declared the Cow with sententious
persistence; "and this Outcast Wolf is a traitor, for if he is
from the Northland he also knows that, even as in the Southland
they know the Loco Plant."

A'tim slunk back nervously and watched Shag with wary caution.

"Do you believe this lie, Shag, my dear Friend? Ghur-r-r-ah! do
you think I would do such a thing? This lone Cow, who is also an
Outcast because of some wrong thing, must be locoed (mad)--even
as every Herd has one such."

"I am wise enough not to eat of the Death Flower, by the
knowledge of our kind. But you can prove all this, Herd
Leader--let the Dog-Wolf eat of this medicine plant, if it be
harmless."

This clever idea pleased the Bull mightily. "Yes, A'tim," he
cried; "the Cow, who is but a Buffalo, and, of course, has not
the great Wolf wisdom, may be mistaken. You who are an eater of
grasses when you are ill, eat of this Fur Flower, as you name it;
then also I will eat in great faith--after a little," he added in
an undertone.

A'tim walked backward a few paces hesitatingly, and, looking
wondrous hurt, said in a deprecating voice: "Ghur-r-rh, eu-h-h! I
have been a friend to you, Lone Bull, even a Brother in solitude;
and now at the word of a stranger, a silly Cow, who having done
some wrong has been outcasted from her Herd, you lose faith in
me, and treat me as a traitor."

Still farther into the tangle of birch and poplar he backed,
saying: "Of course, I couldn't expect you to take my part against
a sleek-hided Buffalo Cow."