went　as　before；　hoping；　yet　fearing　that　we　were　not　on　the　right
  track。　The　Dogs　ran　well；　very　fast　indeed。　This　was　a　bad　sign；
  King　said；　but　we　could　not　get　sight　of　the　track　because　the
  Dogs　overran　it　before　we　came。
  After　a　two…mile　run　the　chase　led　upward　again　in　snow　country；
  the　Wolf　was　sighted；　but　to　our　disgust；　we　were　on　the　track　of
  the　smallest　one。
  〃I　thought　so；〃　growled　young　Penroof。　〃Dogs　was　altogether　too
  keen　for　a　serious　proposition。　Kind　o'　surprised　it　ain't　turned
  out　a　Jack…rabbit。〃
  Within　another　mile　he　had　turned　to　bay　in　a　willow　thicket。　We
  heard　him　howl　the　long…drawn　howl　for　help；　and　before　we　could
  reach　the　place　King　saw　the　Dogs　recoil　and　scatter。　A　minute
  later　there　sped　from　the　far　side　of　the　thicket　a　small
  Gray…wolf　and　a　Black　One　of　very　much　greater　size。
  〃By　golly；　if　he　didn't　yell　for　help；　and　Billy　come　back　to
  help　him；　that's　great！〃　exclaimed　the　wolver。　And　my　heart　went
  out　to　the　brave　old　Wolf　that　refused　to　escape　by　abandoning
  his　friend。
  The　next　hour　was　a　hard　repetition　of　the　gully　riding；　but　it
  was　on　the　highlands　where　there　was　snow；　and　when　again　the
  pack　was　split；　we　strained　every　power　and　succeeded　in　keeping
  them　on　the　big　〃　five…fifty　track；〃　that　already　was　wearing　for
  me　the　glamour　of　romance。
  Evidently　the　Dogs　preferred　either　of　the　others；　but　we　got
  them　going　at　last。　Another　half　hour's　hard　work　and　far　ahead；
  as　I　rose　to　a　broad　flat　plain；　I　had　my　first　glimpse　of　the
  Big　Black　Wolf　of　Sentinel　Butte。
  〃Hurrah！　Badlands　Billy！　Hurrah！　Badlands　Billy！〃　I　shouted　in
  salute；　and　the　others　took　up　the　cry。
  We　were　on　his　track　at　last；　thanks　to　himself。　The　Dogs　joined
  in　with　a　louder　baying；　the　Greyhounds　yelped　and　made　straight
  for　him；　and　the　Horses　sniffed　and　sprang　more　gamely　as　they
  caught　the　thrill。　The　only　silent　one　was　the　black…maned　Wolf；
  and　as　I　marked　his　size　and　power；　and　above　all　his　long　and
  massive　jaws；　I　knew　why　the　Dogs　preferred　some　other　trail。
  With　head　and　tail　low　he　was　bounding　over　the　snow。　His　tongue
  was　lolling　long；　plainly　he　was　hard　pressed。　The　wolvers'　hands
  flew　to　their　revolvers；　though　he　was　three　hundred　yards　ahead；
  they　were　out　for　blood；　not　sport。　But　an　instant　later　he　had
  sunk　from　view　in　the　nearest　sheltered　ca駉n。
  Now　which　way　would　he　go；　up　or　down　the　ca駉n？　Up　was　toward
  his　mountain；　down　was　better　cover。　King　and　I　thought　〃up；〃　so
  pressed　westward　along　the　ridge。　But　the　others　rode　eastward；
  watching　for　a　chance　to　shoot。
  Soon　we　had　ridden　out　of　hearing。　We　were　wrongthe　Wolf　had
  gone　down；　but　we　heard　no　shooting。　The　ca駉n　was　crossable
  here；　we　reached　the　other　side　and　then　turned　back　at　a　gallop；
  scanning　the　snow　for　a　trail；　the　hills　for　a　moving　form；　or
  the　wind　for　a　sound　of　life。
  〃Squeak；　squeak；〃　went　our　saddle　leathers；　〃puff…puff〃　our
  Horses；　and　their　feet　〃ka…ka…lump；　ka…ka…lump。〃
  X
  WHEN　BILLY　WENT　BACK　TO　HIS　MOUNTAIN
  We　were　back　opposite　to　where　the　Wolf　had　plunged；　but　saw　no
  sign。　We　rode　at　an　easy　gallop；　on　eastward；　a　mile；　and　still
  on；　when　King　gasped　out；　〃Look　at　that！〃　A　dark　spot　was　moving
  on　the　snow　ahead。　We　put　on　speed。　Another　dark　spot　appeared；
  and　another；　but　they　were　not　going　fast。　In　five　minutes　we
  were　near　them；　to　findthree　of　our　own　Greyhounds。　They　had
  lost　sight　of　the　game；　and　with　that　their　interest　waned。　Now
  they　were　seeking　us。　We　saw　nothing　there　of　the　chase　or　of　the
  other　hunters。　But　hastening　to　the　next　ridge　we　stumbled　on　the
  trail　we　sought　and　followed　as　hard　as　though　in　view。　Another
  ca駉n　came　in　our　path；　and　as　we　rode　and　looked　for　a　place　to
  cross；　a　wild　din　of　Hounds　came　from　its　brushy　depth。　The
  clamor　grew　and　passed　up　the　middle。
  We　raced　along　the　rim；　hoping　to　see　the　game。　The　Dogs　appeared
  near　the　farther　side；　not　in　a　pack；　but　a　long；　straggling
  line。　In　five　minutes　more　they　rose　to　the　edge；　and　ahead　of
  them　was　the　great　Black　Wolf。　He　was　loping　as　before；　head　and
  tail　low。　Power　was　plain　in　every　limb；　and　double　power　in　his
  jaws　and　neck；　but　I　thought　his　bounds　were　shorter　now；　and
  that　they　had　lost　their　spring。　The　Dogs　slowly　reached　the
  upper　level；　and　sighting　him　they　broke　into　a　feeble　cry；　they；
  too；　were　nearly　spent。　The　Greyhounds　saw　the　chase；　and　leaving
  us　they　scrambled　down　the　ca駉n　and　up　the　other　side　at
  impetuous　speed　that　would　surely　break　them　down；　while　we　rode；
  vainly　seeking　means　of　crossing。
  How　the　wolver　raved　to　see　the　pack　lead　off　in　the　climax　of
  the　chase；　and　himself　held　up　behind。　But　he　rode　and　wrathed
  and　still　rode；　up　to　where　the　ca駉n　dwindledrough　land　and　a
  hard　ride。　As　we　neared　the　great　flat　mountain；　the　feeble　cry
  of　the　pack　was　heard　again　from　the　south；　then　toward　the　high
  Butte's　side；　and　just　a　trifle　louder　now。　We　reined　in　on　a
  hillock　and　scanned　the　snow。　A　moving　speck　appeared；　then
  others；　not　bunched；　but　in　a　straggling　train；　and　at　times
  there　was　a　far　faint　cry。　They　were　headed　toward　us；　coming　on；
  yes！　coming；　but　so　slowly；　for　not　one　was　really　running　now。
  There　was　the　grim　old　Cow…killer　limping　over　the　ground；　and
  far　behind　a　Greyhound；　and　another；　and　farther　still；　the　other
  Dogs　in　order　of　their　speed；　slowly；　gamely；　dragging　themselves
  on　that　pursuit。　Many　hours　of　hardest　toil　had　done　their　work。
  The　Wolf　had　vainly　sought　to　fling　them　off。　Now　was　his　hour　of
  doom；　for　he　was　spent；　they　still　had　some　reserve。　Straight　to
  us　for　a　time　they　came；　skirting　the　base　of　the　mountain；
  crawling。
  We　could　not　cross　to　join　them；　so　held　our　breath　and　gazed
  with　ravenous　eyes。　They　were　nearer　now；　the　wind　brought　feeble
  notes　from　the　Hounds。　The　big　Wolf　turned　to　the　steep　ascent；
  up　a　well…known　trail；　it　seemed；　for　he　made　no　slip。　My　heart
  went　with　him；　for　he　had　come　back　to　rescue　his　friend；　and　a
  momentary　thrill　of　pity　came　over　us　both；　as　we　saw　him　glance
  around　and　drag　himself　up　the　sloping　way；　to　die　on　his
  mountain。　There　was　no　escape　for　him；　beset　by　fifteen　Dogs　with
  men　to　back　them。　He　was　not　walking；　but　tottering　upward；　the
  Dogs　behind　in　line；　were　now　doing　a　little　better；　were　nearing
  him。　We　could　hear　them　gasping；　we　scarcely　heard　them　baythey
  had　no　breath　for　that；　upward　the　grim　procession　went；　circling
  a　spur　of　the　Butte　and　along　a　ledge　that　climbed　and　narrowed；
  then　dropped　for　a　few　yards　to　a　shelf　that　reared　above　the
  canon。　The　foremost　Dogs　were　closing；　fearless　of　a　foe　so
  nearly　spent。
  Here　in　the　narrowest　place；　where　one　wrong　step　meant　death；
  the　great　Wolf　turned　and　faced　them。　With　fore…feet　braced；　with
  head　low　and　tail　a　little　raised；　his　dusky　mane　a…bristling；
  his　glittering　tusks　laid　bare；　but　uttering　no　sound　that　we
  could　hear；　he　faced　the　crew。　His　legs　were　weak　with　toil；　but
  his　neck；　his　jaws；　and　his　heart　were　strong；　andnow　all　you
  who　love　the　Dogs　had　better　close　the　bookonup　and
  downfifteen　to　one；　they　came；　the　swiftest　first；　and　how　it
  was　done；　the　eye　could　scarcely　see；　but　even　as　a　stream　of
  water　pours　on　a　rock　to　be　splashed　in　broken　Jets　aside；　that
  stream　of
  Dogs　came　pouring　down　the　path；　in　single　file　perforce；　and
  Duskymane　received　them　as　they　came。　A　feeble　spring；　a
  counter…lunge；　a　gash；　and　〃Fango's　down；〃　has　lost　his　foothold
  and　is　gone。　Dander　and　Coalie　close　and　try　to　clinch；　a　rush；　a
  heave；　and　they　are　fallen　from　that　narrow　path。　Blue…spot　then；
  backed　by　mighty　Oscar　and　fearless　Tigebut　the　Wolf　is　next
  the　rock　and　the　flash　of　combat　clears　to　show　him　there　alone；
  the　big　Dogs　gone；　the　rest　close　in；　the　hindmost　force　the
  foremost　ondown…to　their　death。　Slash；　chop　and　heave；　from　the
  swiftest　to　the　biggest；　to　the　last；　downdownhe　sent　them
  whirling　from　the　ledge　to　the　gaping　gulch　below；　where　rocks
  and　snags　of　trunks　were　sharp　to　do　their　work。
  In　fifty　seconds　it　was　done。　The　rock　had　splashed　the　stream
  asidethe　Penroof　pack　was　all　wiped　out；　and　Badlands　Billy
  stood　there；　alone　again　on　his　mountain。
  A　moment　he　waited　to　look　for　more　to　come。　There　were　no　more；
  the　pack　was　dead；　but　waiting　he　got　his　breath；　then　raising
  his　voice　for　the　first　time　in　that　fatal　scene；　he　feebly　gave
  a　long　yell　of　triumph；　and　scaling　the　next　low　bank；　was
  screened　from　view　in　a　ca駉n　of　Sentinel　Butte。
  We　stared　like　men　of　stone。　The　guns　in　our　hands　were
  forgotten。　It　was　all　so　quick；　so　final。　We　made　no　move　till
  the　Wolf　was　gone。　It　was　not　far　to　the　place：　we　went　on　foot
  to　see　if　any　had　escaped。　Not　one　was　left　alive。　We　could　do
  nothingwe　could　say　nothing。
  XI
  THE　HOWL　AT　SUNSET
  A　week　later　we　were　riding　the　upper　trail　back　of　the　Chimney
  Pot；　King　and　I。　〃The　old　man　is　pretty　sick　of　it；〃　he　said。
  〃He'd　sell　out　if　he　could。　He　don't　know　what's　the　next　move。〃
  The　sun　went　down　beyond　Sentinel　Butte。　It　was　dusk　as　we
  reached　the　turn　that　led　to　Dumont's　place；　and　a　deep…toned
  rolling　howl　came　from　the　river　flat　below；　followed　by　a　number
  of　hig