Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/207

 of the gale drowned the sound of her footfalls but he knew she was chose ahead.

There was a second’s calm and the wind shifted abruptly, the draft now being sucked up the canyon instead of down. The change in Flash was as startling and abrupt as the change of wind. The dog in search of a loving mistress was transformed into a wolf in search of dangerous prey. He slipped cautiously from one windfall jam to the next. He did not snarl. Snarls would not terrify the enemy he now stalked—would only serve to warn him and, once warned, the day was lost for Flash. The thing he now stalked was man.

The wind blew full in his face and carried the tidings that Betty was just ahead through the tangle of down timber—and that near her was the man. A few yards more and he saw her seated on a log near the game trail. Fifty yards above her the man crouched behind a stump.

His actions were furtive. As Flash watched him he moved to a tree a few feet nearer to the girl and stood motionless as she turned and glanced uphill. Flash circled to come in behind him; circled cautiously with great care to remain unseen. When he had reached his goal the man