Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/75

58 his hand went swiftly to the leather belt where he carried his pistol and his knife. His rifle lay just out of reach.

But he paused.

The creature stood fearless and confident on the other side of the fire, its gray fleece reddened by the glow, its steadfast, untamed eyes fixed upon the hunter from between the sweeping curve of its powerful horns.

Possibly it had never seen a man before. At all events, it trusted him. It, like himself, was lost—a lonely being, snowed up, shut away from its kind; they were companions in trouble.

Dick withdrew his hand from his belt with a shamefaced feeling as if the sheep must have understood his intention.

But it did not seem so.

After staring at him a few moments longer, it laid itself down quietly, as if used to the situation.

"Poor old fellow!" said the man softly.