Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/110

 was to carry spruce boughs to cover the boards.

Early in the afternoon she grew restless from inactivity and wandered down the game trail with Flash. Half a mile down she saw a dead elk in an open park. It had not been there when they came up the previous day. She could see the throat, gashed open by savage teeth, and knew that the elk had been killed by the beast whose cry had chilled her the night before.

She had no further taste for walking and hurried back to the house. Near evening she went to the spring for water. As she knelt to dip it Flash came creeping up from the opposite side. He moved with a stealthy crouch and there was a queer light in the yellow eyes. When within twenty feet he sprang straight towards her.

There was a sudden rushing whir of wings as a blue grouse took flight only to be struck down by a big paw. The wings drummed on the ground as Flash held the bird down after beheading it with one nip.

For a full ten seconds she could only gaze, fascinated by this wild picture, then jumped the spring and ran to him. Flash drew away, fearing he had offended her by this deed, but when