Page:Edison Marshall--Shepherds of the wild.djvu/275

Rh But to his right the fiery barrier was nearest of all. He didn't have to turn to know that. Its crackle was just in his ear. And then he leaped to his feet with a wild, blasphemous cry.

A little peninsula of fire had crept out from the burning brush to his right, and had paused—in grim speculation—beside something hard and strong that it found resting in the pine-needles. It was Fargo's hand—the hand in which he had exulted such a little time before, and which had set the flame. As if in gratitude, the red tongue licked at its brown skin.

Full knowledge came to Fargo then. All about him raged the fire, pressing ever closer. He was helpless—powerless to aid himself as the Shropshire lamb that he had thrown, so many weeks ago, among his hounds. His own handiwork had turned against him, and the vengeance of the wilderness was complete.