some great weight had crushed them. Moose
suggested itself. He looked keenly at the marks. No, the snow displayed
no imprint of cloven hoofs. It looked as though it had been raked by a
close-set harrow. To him there was much significance in what he saw.
Only one creature could have left such a track. There was but one animal
in that forest world that moved with shambling gait, and whose paws
could rake the snow in such a manner. That animal was the grizzly, the
monarch of the mountain forest.

The man looked further over the snow, and, in a few moments, had learned
all he wished to know. There were two distinct trails, one approaching,
the other departing. But there was a curious difference between them.
The approach had evidently been at a slovenly, ambling pace. The raking
of the trailing feet showed this. But the departing track displayed
every sign of great haste. The snow had been flurried to an extent that
had obliterated all semblance of footprints.

Ralph unslung his rifle. Ahead of him was the track, ahead of him also
was a further break in the forest where the sun shone down with dazzling
brilliancy. He passed on and looked up at the perfect sky. Then he took
the direction of the track. It struck out for the northeast.

"I wonder if Nick's lit on it," he muttered. "It 'ud be his luck,
anyway."

He further examined the tracks, and the whiteness of the snow warned him
they were quite fresh.

"Ain't been made more'n an hour," he added, in further soliloquy.
"Guess, I'll trail him."

And he set off hot-foot through the forest.

The trail was well marked, and he followed it with ease. And as he moved
slowly on his mind had much leisure from his task. The direction the
bear had taken was towards the country over which Nick was working. Also
Ralph could not help recollecting that the northeast was the direction
in which lay the Moosefoot camp. True there were many miles of wild
country between him and the Indians, but the knowledge of the direction
he was taking quickly turned his thoughts into other channels, and his
quarry no longer solely occupied his mind. His eyes followed the trail,
his thoughts went on miles ahead.

It was three days since Nick had first told Ralph of his meeting with
Aim-sa. And ever since the latter had sought her himself, but his search
had been in vain. And each of those three days Nick had returned to camp
happy and smiling in a manner which maddened his brother. Now he thought