Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/27

 them. He showed his dislike of Brent by watching him suspiciously and bristling his shoulder hair at every move. Never once did he make a sound, and this silent, deadly hatred inspired a like feeling in the man.

Twice when Moran was gone, Brent kicked Flash the length of his chain when the pup bristled at his approach.

Eventually Moran let Flash follow him on long trips without his chain, trusting that his hold was greater than the call of the free hills to the pup. Flash joyously chased the long-eared jack rabbits of the foothills but always returned to Moran.

Flash had grown, and his was the wolf growth which lacks the awkwardness seen in growing dogs. In mid-August he attained his sixth month and with it the requisite speed to catch his first jack. Thereafter he hunted them tirelessly, killing for pleasure long after his hunger was appeased. The swift chase, growing in excitement and terminating in the wild thrill of joy with the final snap of jaws upon his prey, matched his supreme moments with Moran and thus both extremes in him were satisfied.

Horses no longer feared him and fled from the