deer turns its head. Its pursuer is close upon it. It sees the death
which nears it. The monster, sure now of its prey, gives a fierce howl
of triumph. Terror lends the victim strength. It turns toward the
farm-house; it struggles through the banks of snow; it leaps the low
palings, where, beside great straw-stacks, the cattle of the farm are
herded. It disappears among them.

The door of the farm-house opens, and from it comes a man who strides
away toward where the cattle are gathered, lowing for their morning
feed. After the man there emerges from the door a little girl with
yellow hair. The child laughs aloud as she looks over the field of snow,
with its myriads of crystals flashing out all colors under the rays of
the morning sun. She dances along the footpath in a direction opposite
that taken by the man. Not far distant, creeping along a deep furrow, is
a lank, skulking figure.

"Can it be? Has it escaped me, when it was mine? I would have torn it at
the farm-house door but that the man appeared. Must I hunger for another
day, when I am raging for blood! What is that! It is the child, and
alone! It has wandered away from the farm-house. Where is the great
hound that guards the house at night? Oh, the child! I can see its white
throat again. I will tear it. I will throttle the weak thing and still
its cries in an instant!"

* * * * *

The man in the bunk in the lumbermen's camp is wild again. His comrades
struggle to hold him down.

* * * * *

A horrible, hairy thing, with flaming eyes and hot breath, which leaps
upon and bears down a child with yellow hair. A hoarse growl, the rush
of a great hound, a desperate struggle in the snow, and the still air of
morning is burdened suddenly with wild clamor. There is an opening of
doors, there are shouts and calls and flying footsteps; and then,
mingling with the cries of the writhing brutes, rings out sharply the
report of the farmer's rifle. There is a howl of rage and agony, and a
gaunt gray figure leaps upward and falls quivering across the form of
the child. The child is lifted from the ground unhurt. The great hound
has by the throat the old wolf--dead!

* * * * *

The man in the lumbermen's camp has leaped from his bunk. His appearance
is something ghastly. His comrades spring forward to restrain him, but
he throws them off. There is a furious struggle with the mad