geese, black ducks, wood ducks, and mallards (all with wings clipped so
that they never again could fly), sage hens, quail, spruce-grouse,
partridge, ptarmigan and western mountain quail. All seemed perfectly at
home and comfortably domesticated.

Beyond the poultry houses was still another outhouse, a long, low, log
building before which was a lawn. On the lawn were all manner of perches
and roosts and on these, sunning themselves and preening their feathers,
were several types of predaceous birds, ranging from huge and powerful
female eagles to smaller hawks and true falcons. This evidently was the
Wild Hunter's falconry.

Another thing that made an instant impression upon me was the number of
men at work about the place. The workmen were all, without an exception,
Indians, and as they moved about silently, their stoic, almost
expressionless faces held a decided look of contentment, a few of them
turned toward the porch with a frank, honest stare. There was no
evidence of fear or restraint in their actions but they always gave the
wolf dogs plenty of room as they passed them. These black beasts were
ugly, snarling things that showed no love for anyone; on the least
provocation menacing growls rumbled in their throats.

What manner of place was this that we had permitted ourselves to be led
into? Indeed, what manner of man was this strange host of ours? I shot a
sidelong glance at him and it seemed to me as if I caught a strange,
hunted look in his eyes, and a sad smile on his handsome but grim
countenance. A slight feeling of fear crept into my heart. Could this
strange man be my father? For some reason he certainly did attract me
and excite my sympathy, yet I stood in awe of him. The strangeness of my
surroundings, too, settled upon me. I turned toward Pete and I had a
premonition of evil. I could see that he too was affected the same way.
The valley was an earthly paradise, the Wild Hunter a kindly gentleman,
what then was it that gave me an uncomfortable and uneasy feeling? I
was eager to be alone with Pete for I knew that he would have some
interesting observations to make.

"I am disappointed, gentlemen, you say nothing. Isn't my ranch
interesting to you?" demanded the Wild Hunter, with a smile. In a low
smooth voice he gave some orders to a young Indian who was walking
toward the stables. The Indian instantly snapped into action and hurried
away as if one of the black wolf dogs were snapping at his heels, an