and part
Newfoundland, with a far-off streak of bull, and the champion fighter
of the settlements, was found dead in the middle of Anderson's sheep
pasture, his whole throat fairly ripped out. He had died in defence of
his charges, and it was plainly no dog's jaws that had done such
mangling. What dog indeed could have mastered Anderson's "Dan"?

"It's a bear, gone mad on mutton," pronounced certain of the wise
ones, idling at the cross-roads store. "Ye see as how he hain't _et_
the dawg, noways, but jest bit him to teach him not to go interferin'
as regards sheep."

"Ye're all off," contradicted Timmins, with authority. "A bear'd hev'
tore him an' batted him an' mauled him more'n he'd hev' bit him. A
bear thinks more o' usin' his fore paws than what he does his jaws, if
he gits into any kind of an onpleasantness. No, boys, our unknown
friend up yonder's a _wolf_, take my word for it."

Joe Anderson snorted, and spat accurately out through the door.

"A _wolf_!" he sneered. "Go chase yerself, Brace Timmins. I'd like to
see any wolf as could 'a' done up my Dan that way!"

"Well, keep yer hair on, Joe," retorted Timmins, easily. "I'm a-goin'
after him, an' I'll show him to you in a day or two, as like as not!"

"I reckon, Joe," interposed the storekeeper, leaning forward across
the counter, "as how there be other breeds of wolf besides the
sneakin' little gray varmint of the East here, what's been cleaned out
of these parts fifty year ago. If Brace is right,--an' I reckon he
be,--then it must sure be one of them big timber wolves we read about,
what the Lord's took it into His head to plank down here in our safe
old woods to make us set up an' take notice. You better watch out,
Brace. If ye don't git the brute first lick, he'll git you!"

"_I'll_ watch out!" drawled Timmins, confidently; and selecting a
strong, steel trap-chain from a box beside the counter, he sauntered
off to put his plans in execution.

These plans were simple enough. He knew that he had a wide-ranging
adversary to deal with. But he himself was a wide ranger, and
acquainted with every cleft and crevice of Lost Mountain. He would
find the great wolf's lair, and set his traps accordingly, one in the
runway, to be avoided if the wolf was as clever as he ought to be, and
a couple of others a little aside to really do the work. Of course, he
would carry his rifle, in case of need, but he wanted to take his
enemy alive.

For several arduous but e