Page:Edison Marshall--Shepherds of the wild.djvu/141

Rh you did stay—and help us out—we'd make it right with you in the end," she promised. No longer was she the employer, speaking from the heights. Her tone was almost pleading. "Perhaps you could buy a share in the business—and get a fresh start in life."

He suddenly got up and found a curious satisfaction in swinging mighty blows with the axe at the fir-log Dan had used for fuel. It acted as a relief valve for emotions that he felt would soon get away from him. He looked up, smiling boyishly. "I'll stay—to the end," he promised. "But Lord knows—I don't know anything about sheep."

"And you give me fresh heart."

Thus they made a pact in the firelight, and they had a few moments of sheer joy as she gave him simple directions as to how to take care of the flock, when to salt them, and how to direct their feeding. "And while you're telling me these things," the man said, "for Heaven's sake tell me about Spot."

"Of course you mean the yearling ram " Hugh nodded. "You must have learned a lot about sheep in one day—or you'd never have noticed him. Spot is a mystery—has been since he was born. And what has he been doing to-day?"

Hugh narrated with much enthusiasm the encounter between the flock leader and the coyote, so interested in the story itself that he quite failed