Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/86

 His soft whimpering aroused Silver. The she wolf could not know that her mate was living over again the delicious thrill of feeling a woman’s soft hand upon his head. Silver’s irritable nip always brought him back to the grim present and he was instantly awake, the cold yellow eyes sweeping the country for sign of his most bitter enemy, man.

The last week in February they came to the rough country at the head of Powder River. Silver grew less and less inclined to travel far and panted heavily when she ran. A chinook swept across the hills and this warm wind softened the frozen ground in spots that had blown free of snow. Silver chose a place where the earth was deep and started to excavate.

Flash watched her and when she tired and backed from the hole he took her place, tearing at the dirt with his great forepaws and pushing it out behind. He withdrew, shaking the dirt from his coat, and viewed this start of their home with pride.

Silver was very irritable these days, snapping at his approach. He turned his shoulder to her shrewish slashes and stalked stiffly out of reach. One night he came home to find a new scent in