k-scents of Coyotes and
sundry Birds. Her suspicions were lulling as in a smalling circle she
neared the tempting feast from the windward side. She had even advanced
straight toward it for a few steps when the sweaty leather sang loud
and strong again, and smoke and iron mingled like two strands of a
parti-colored yarn. Centring all her attention on this, she advanced
within two leaps of the Calf. There on the ground was a scrap of
leather, telling also of a human touch, close at hand the Calf, and now
the iron and smoke on the full vast smell of Calf were like a snake
trail across the trail of a whole Beef herd. It was so slight that the
Cub, with the appetite and impatience of youth, pressed up against his
mother's shoulder to go past and eat without delay. She seized him by
the neck and flung him back. A stone struck by his feet rolled forward
and stopped with a peculiar clink. The danger smell was greatly
increased at this, and the Yellow Wolf backed slowly from the feast,
the Cub unwillingly following.

As he looked wistfully he saw the Coyotes drawing nearer, mindful
chiefly to avoid the Wolves. He watched their really cautious advance;
it seemed like heedless rushing compared with his mother's approach.
The Calf smell rolled forth in exquisite and overpowering excellence
now, for they were tearing the meat, when a sharp clank was heard and a
yelp from a Coyote. At the same time the quiet night was shocked with a
roar and a flash of fire. Heavy shots spattered Calf and Coyotes, and
yelping like beaten Dogs they scattered, excepting one that was killed
and a second struggling in the trap set here by the ever-active
wolvers. The air was charged with the hateful smells redoubled now, and
horrid smells additional. The Yellow Wolf glided down a hollow and led
her Cub away in flight, but, as they went, they saw a man rush from the
bank near where the mother's nose had warned her of the human scent.
They saw him kill the caught Coyote and set the traps for more.

VI

THE BEGUILING OF THE YELLOW WOLF

The life game is a hard game, for we may win ten thousand times, and if
we fail but once our gain is gone. How many hundred times had the
Yellow Wolf scorned the traps; how many Cubs she had trained to do the
same! Of all the dangers to her life she best knew traps.

October had come; the Cub was now much taller than the mother. The
wolver had seen them once--a Yellow Wolf followed by another, whose
long, awkward l