there was a dwindling crescent of gray specks in
the background, and four or five other gray shapes--two kicking--lying
about in the foreground.

But--and this is where we come in--neither there in the distant
snow-haze nor close in by the crowding hunting-party was the white wolf.

He had been last on view far in advance of, and heading, the point of
the right-hand horn of the swiftly encircling pack--his usual place, by
the way--but from the moment the returning sleighs hove in sight, and
the bar-like gleam of the moonlight could be seen upon the ready
rifle-barrels--he had seen that, too, and knew its meaning--he had
been--nowhere.

Now, before the encircling horns of the pack closed round, one of the
pack-horses, maddened with fear, had stampeded and got clear away.
That horse was galloping now madly across the plain, hidden from view
by a gentle swell of ground, and--the white wolf was racing alongside
of it; and away behind--for few could keep up with the tremendous speed
of the white wolf--another, and an ordinary gray wolf was gliding in
their tracks. That was a female wolf, who more than once before had
found it a profitable investment to keep her eye upon the doings of the
great white leader.

She saw the white wolf leap, beheld his wrenching side-stroke at the
terrified horse's throat, heard the horse scream, and watched it bound
forward. Followed another leap of the relentless giant white shape;
the horse seemed to stumble in full gallop, and next instant came down
headlong. The rest was a whirl of snow, flying hoofs, and a horrible
worrying sound. Then all settled down, and as she tore up she found
the white wolf feeding ravenously against time, bolting his meal as
only the wild members of the dog tribe, hyenas, and vultures can. She
was starving, that she-wolf, but she halted upon her hams, such was the
reputation of the white leader; but when he failed to snarl at her,
she, too, fell to, and bolted her meal like a crazy thing.

Directly he had fed enough the white wolf flung round upon his heels,
and, with a single quick whimper, was gone, streaking over the plain
away from the hunters, away from the scattered, discomfited pack; away,
away, as he had never galloped before. But, then, before he had always
been the hunter. This time, if he knew anything of "Pack Law" and the
temper of the pack over this bad defeat and heavy loss, coming on top
of the bad bear "break"--this time, I say, it was h