ow but her presence of mind did
not desert her, and so she quickly backed around the fire in such a way
that before the wolf realised his position his hind feet were in the
still red-hot embers of the fire. With a howl of pain he let go his
grip on her arm and made for the door, which was of mooseskin, and which
like a curtain had dropped back into place.

"In the meantime Shakoona's screams had been heard, and Indians from
other wigwams speedily rushed to her help. Little did they realise, as
they were coming, her sad bereavement. The first one to attempt to
enter was an Indian woman. Just as she was entering the wolf with
scorched feet was rushing out. The collision, as they met, knocked the
woman over, and so delayed the wolf for a second or two that the next
comer, who happened to be a stalwart hunter, was able to draw his
tomahawk, and with one strong blow drove the keen edge of his weapon
into the animal's brain. When these two Indians, and others who had
quickly joined them, had entered the wigwam they saw a terrible sight--
two children half devoured and a mother so overwhelmed with sorrow that
not a tear would come from those great sad eyes. Then there was the
wolf with severed spine, but still alive and looking more fiendish than
ever. Very soon was the savage brute dispatched and his body thrown out
of the wigwam.

"Loving hands quickly arranged and covered up what was left of the two
children, and efforts were made to comfort the poor mother in her
terrible sorrow. Swift runners were sent away to Kinesasis, to tell him
of his great loss and to bring him home, as many feared if his wife did
not soon begin to weep she would die. When Kinesasis heard the news he
too was nearly heart-broken, but when he reached his wigwam and beheld
Shakoona he crushed down his own sorrow to try and comfort her, who had,
on account of the way the great bereavement had come to her, suffered
much more than he. For days and days Shakoona was as one in a dream.
She was gentle as usual, but those great eyes, so sad and dry, seemed to
haunt all who visited her. All said she soon would die unless she got
relief. They tried many ways, but all in vain, until at length a kindly
Indian woman went out, and brought in the boys and girls, with whom her
little ones used to play. At first Shakoona seemed pained by their
presence, but as they looked into those sad eyes they began weeping,
and, childlike, they threw their arms arou