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00:00On Wolf Mountain
00:05On the eastern slope of the Bighorn Mountains, the Mayala clan of gray wolves, they of the
00:11steep places, were following on the trail of a herd of elk.
00:15It was a day in late autumn.
00:18The sun had appeared for an instant, and then passed behind a bank of cold cloud.
00:23Big flakes of snow were coming down, as the lean gray hunters threaded a long ravine,
00:29cautiously stopping at every knoll or divide to survey the outlook before continuing their
00:34uncertain pursuit.
00:36The large Mayala wolf with his mate, and their five full-grown pups, had been driven away
00:42from their den on account of their depredations upon the only pale face in the Bighorn Valley.
00:48It is true that, from their standpoint, he had no right to encroach upon their hunting grounds.
00:55For three days they had been trailing over the Bighorn Mountains, moving southeast towards
01:01Tongue River, where they believed that no man would come to disturb them.
01:05They had passed through a country full of game, but, being conscious of the pursuit of the
01:11sheepman and his party on their trail, they had not ventured to make an open hunt, nor
01:16were they stopping anywhere long enough to seek big game with success.
01:20Only an occasional rabbit or grouse had furnished them with a scanty meal.
01:25From the Black Cannon, the outlet of the Bighorn River, there unfolds a beautiful valley.
01:32Here, the wild man's ponies were scattered all along the river bottoms.
01:36In a sheltered spot, his egg-shaped teepees were ranged in circular form.
01:41The Mayala family deliberately sat upon their haunches at the head of the Kawan and watched
01:47the people moving, antlick, among the lodges.
01:51Manitou, the largest of the five pups, was a famous runner and hunter already.
01:57He whimpered at sight of the frail homes of the wild man, and would fain have gotten to
02:02the gulches again.
02:03The old wolf rebuked his timidity with a low growl.
02:07He had hunted many a time with one of these red hunters as guide and companion.
02:12More than this, he knew that they often kill many buffalo and elk in one hunting, and leave
02:18much meat upon the plains for the wolf people.
02:21They respect his medicine, and he respects theirs.
02:25It is quite another kind of man who is their enemy.
02:29Plainly, there was an unusual commotion in the Sioux village.
02:32Ponies were brought in, and presently all the men rode out in a southerly direction.
02:39Woo-oh-oh was the long howl of the old wolf.
02:43It sounded almost like a cry of joy.
02:47It is the buffalo hunt.
02:48We must run to the south and watch until the hunt is ended.
02:53Away they went, traveling in pairs and at some distance apart, for the sake of better precaution.
02:59On the south side of the mountain they stood in a row, watching hungrily the hunt of the
03:04red men.
03:06There was, indeed, a great herd of buffalo grazing upon the river plain surrounded by
03:11foothills.
03:12The hunters showed their heads on three sides of the herd, the fourth side rising abruptly
03:17to the sheer ascent of the mountain.
03:20Now there arose in the distance a hoarse shout from hundreds of throats in unison.
03:25The trained ponies of the Indians charged upon the herd, just as the wolves themselves had
03:31sometimes banded together for the attack in better days of their people.
03:36It was not greatly different from the first onset upon the enemy in battle.
03:41Yelling and brandishing their weapons, the Sioux converged upon the unsuspecting buffalo,
03:46who fled blindly in the only direction open to them, straight toward the inaccessible
03:52steep.
03:52An a-breath, men and shaggy beasts were mixed in struggling confusion.
04:00Many arrows sped to their mark, and dead buffalo lay scattered over the plain like big black
04:05mounds while the panic-stricken survivors fled down the valley of the Big Horn.
04:11In a little while, the successful hunters departed with as much meat as their ponies could carry.
04:17No sooner were they out of sight than the old wolf gave a feast call.
04:22Woo-oh-oh, woo-woo, woo!
04:26He was sure that they had left enough meat for all the wolf-people within hearing distance.
04:31Then away they all went for the hunting ground, not in regular order, as before, but each one
04:38running at his best speed.
04:40They had not gone far down the slope before they saw others coming from other hills, their
04:46gray tribesmen of the rocks and plains.
04:49The Mayala family came first to two large cows killed near together.
04:54There is no doubt that they were hungry, but the smell of man offends all of the animal kind.
05:01They had to pause at a distance of a few paces, as if to make sure that there would be no trick
05:06played on them.
05:07The old Mayala chief knew that the man with hair on his face has many tricks.
05:13He has a black iron ring that is hidden under earth or snow to entrap the wolf-people, and
05:19sometimes he puts medicine on the meat that tortures and kills them.
05:24Although they had seen these buffalo fall before their brothers, the wild red men, they instinctively
05:30hesitated before taking the meat.
05:32But in the meantime there were others who came very hungry and who were, apparently, less
05:39scrupulous, for they immediately took hold of it, so that the Mayala people had to hurry
05:44to get their share.
05:46In a short time all the meat left from the wild men's hunt had disappeared, and the wolves
05:51began grinding the soft and spongy portions of the hones.
05:55The old ones were satisfied and lay down, while the young ones, like young folks of any race,
06:01sat up pertly and gossiped or squabbled until it was time to go home.
06:07Suddenly they all heard a distant Kala gathering call.
06:10Woo-woo-woo!
06:12After a few minutes it came again.
06:14Every gray wolf within hearing obeyed the summons without hesitation.
06:19Away up in the secret recesses of the Bighorn Mountains they all came by tens and hundreds
06:24to the war meeting of the wolves.
06:27The Mayala chief and his young warriors arrived at the spot in good season.
06:32Manitou was eager to know the reason of this great council.
06:36He was young, and had never be, foreseen such a gathering of his people.
06:41A gaunt old wolf, with only one eye and an immensely long nose, occupied the place of honor.
06:48No human ear heard the speech of the chieftain, but we can guess what he had to say.
06:53Doubtless he spoke in defense of his country, the home of his race, and that of the red man,
06:59whom he regarded with toleration.
07:01It was altogether different with that hairy-faced man who had lately come among them to lay waste
07:06the forests and tear up the very earth about his dwelling, while his creatures devoured the
07:12herbage of the plain.
07:14It would not be strange if war were declared upon the intruder.
07:18Woo-woo-woo!
07:20The word of assent came forth from the throats of all who heard the command at that wild council
07:26among the piled-up rocks in the shivering dusk of a November evening.
07:31The northeast wind came with a vengeance every gust swayed and bent even the mighty pines of the
07:36mountains.
07:38Soon the land became white with snow, the air was full of biting cold, and there was an awfulness
07:44about the night.
07:45The sheepman at his lonely ranch had little warning of the storm, and he did not get half
07:51of his cows in the corral.
07:53As for the sheep, he had already rounded them up before the blizzard set in.
07:58My steers, I reckon.
07:59Eleven find plenty of warm places for shelter, he remarked to his man.
08:04I kinder expect that some of my cows will suffer.
08:07But the worst of it is the wolves.
08:09Confound them.
08:10The brutes been howling last night and again this kvenon from pretty nigh every hilltop.
08:16They do say too, as that's a sure sign of storm.
08:20The long log cabin creaked dismally under the blast, and the windward windows were soon coated
08:25with snow.
08:27What's that, Jake?
08:29Sounds like a lamb bleeding.
08:30The worried rancher continued.
08:33Jake forcibly pushed open the rude door and listened attentively.
08:36There is some trouble at the sheep sheds, but I can't tell just what tis.
08:43Maybe only the wind rattling the loose boards, he suggested uncertainly.
08:48I expect a grizzly has got in among the sheep, but I'll show him that he is at the wrong door,
08:54exclaimed Hank Simmons with grim determination.
08:57Get your rifle, Jake, and we'll teach whoever or whatever it may be that we are able to take
09:03care of our stock in night and storm as well as in fair weather.
09:07He pushed the door open and gazed out into the darkness in his turn, but he could not
09:11see a foot over the threshold.
09:14A terrific gust of wind carried a pall of snow into the farthest corner of the cabin.
09:20But Hank was a determined fellow, and not afraid of hardship.
09:23He would spend a night in the sod stable to watch the coming of a calf, rather than run
09:29even a small chance of losing it.
09:31Both men got into their cowhide overcoats and pulled their caps well down over their ears.
09:38Rifle in hand, they proceeded towards the sheep corral in single file, Jake carrying the
09:43lantern.
09:44The lambs were bleeding frantically, and as they approached the premises, they discovered
09:49that most of the sheep were outside.
09:51Keep your finger on the trigger, Jake.
09:53All the wolves in the Bighorn Mountains are here, exclaimed Hank, who was a few paces in
09:59advance.
10:01Had they been inexperienced men?
10:03But they were not.
10:04They were both men of nerve.
10:06Bang, bang, came from two rifles, through the frosty air and blinding snow, but the
10:12voice of the guns did not have the demoralizing effect upon which they had counted.
10:17Their assailants scarcely heard the reports for the roar of the storm.
10:21Undaunted by the dim glow of the lantern, they banded together for a fresh attack.
10:26The growling, snarling, and gnashing of teeth of hundreds of great gray wolves at close
10:31quarters were enough to dismay even Hank Simmons, who had seen more than one Indian fight and
10:37hair-breadth adventure.
10:39Bang, bang.
10:41They kept on firing off their pieces, now and then swinging the guns in front of them to
10:46stay the mad rush of the wild army.
10:49The lantern, light, revealed the glitter of a hundred pairs of fierce eyes and shining rows
10:54of pointed teeth.
10:56Hank noticed a lean gray wolf with one eye and an immense head who was foremost in the
11:02attack.
11:03Almost abreast of him was a young wolf, whose great size and bristling hair gave him an air
11:08of ferocity.
11:10Hold hard, Jake, or they'll pick our bones yet, Hank exclaimed, and the pair began to
11:16retreat.
11:16They found it all they could do to keep off the wolves, and the faithful collie who had
11:21fought beside them was caught and dragged into darkness.
11:24At last, Hank pushed the door open, and both men tumbled backward into the cabin.
11:31Shoot!
11:31Shoot!
11:32They have got me!
11:33yelled Jake.
11:34The others snatched a blazing ember from the mud chimney and struck the leading wolf dead
11:39partly within the hut.
11:41Goal darn them!
11:42ejaculated Jake, as he scrambled to his feet.
11:45That young wolf is a good one for fighting.
11:47He almost jerked my right leg off.
11:49Well, I'll be darned, Jake, if they haven't taken one of your boots for a trophy, Hank
11:56remarked, as he wiped the sweat from his brows, after kicking out the dead wolf and securely
12:01barring the door.
12:03This is the closest call I've had yet.
12:05I calculate to stand off the engines most any time, but these here wolves have no respect
12:11for my good rifle.
12:12Wazia, the god of storm, and the wild mob reigned outside the cabin, while the two pioneer stockmen
12:20barricaded themselves within, and with many curses left the sheep to their fate.
12:26The attack had stampeded the flock, so that they broke through the corral.
12:30What the assailants did not kill, the storm destroyed.
12:33On the plateau in front of Mayaska the wolves gathered, bringing lambs, and here Manitou
12:39put down Jake's heavy cowhide boot, for it was he who fought side by side with the one-eyed
12:45leader.
12:45He was immediately surrounded by the others, who examined what he had brought.
12:50It was clear that Manitou had distinguished himself, for he had stood by the leader until
12:55Lye fell and secured, besides, the only trophy.
12:59Now they all gave the last war cry together.
13:04It was the greatest wolf cry that had been heard for many years upon those mountains.
13:09Before daybreak, according to custom, the clan separated, believing that they had effectually
13:15destroyed the business of the hairy-faced intruder, and expecting by instant flight to
13:20elude his vengeance.
13:22On the day before the attack upon the ranch, an Indian from the camp in the valley had been
13:27appointed to scout the mountains for game.
13:30He was a daring scout, and was already far up the side of the peak which overhung the
13:35black cannon, when he noticed the air growing heavy and turned his pony's head towards camp.
13:41He urged him on, but the pony was tired, and suddenly, a blinding storm came sweeping over
13:48the mountainside.
13:49The Indian did not attempt to guide his intelligent beast.
13:53He merely fastened the lariat securely to his saddle, and followed behind on foot, holding
13:59to the animal's tail.
14:00He could not see, but soon he felt the pony lead him down a hill.
14:05At the bottom it was warm, and the wind did not blow much there.
14:09The Indian took the saddle off, and placed it in a washout which was almost dry.
14:14He wrapped himself in his blanket, and lay down.
14:16For a long time he could feel and hear the footfalls of his pony just above him, but at
14:23last he fell asleep.
14:25In the morning the sun shone and the wind had subsided.
14:29The scout started for camp, knowing only the general direction, but in his windings he came
14:34by accident upon the secret place, a sort of natural cave, where the wolves had held their
14:39war meeting.
14:40The signs of such a meeting were clear to him, and explained the unusual number of wolf tracks
14:46which he had noticed in this region on the day before.
14:49Farther down was the plateau, or Wapata, where he found the carcasses of many sheep, and there
14:56lay Jake's boot upon the bloody and trampled snow.
14:59When he reached the camp and reported these signs to his people, they received the news
15:04with satisfaction.
15:06They say the pale face has no rights in this region.
15:09It is against our interest to allow him to come here, and our brother of the wandering foot
15:14well knows it for a men ace to his race.
15:17He has declared war upon the sheepman, and it is good.
15:21Let us sing war songs for the success of our brother.
15:25The Sioux immediately dispatched runners to learn the exact state of affairs upon Hank Simmons'
15:30ranch.
15:31In the meantime, the ruined sheepman had made his way to the nearest army post, which stood
15:36upon a level plateau in front of Hogsback Mountain.
15:39Hello Hank, what's the matter now?
15:42Quote the sutler.
15:44You look uncommonly serious this morning.
15:47Arc the engines on your trail again?
15:49No, but it's worse this time.
15:52The gray wolves of the Bighorn Mountains attacked my place last night and pretty near wiped us
15:56out.
15:57Every sheep is dead.
15:59They even carried off Jake Hansen's boot, and he came within one of being eaten alive.
16:03We used up every cartridge in our belts, and the bloody brutes never noticed them no more
16:09than if they were pebbles.
16:11I'm afraid the post can't help me this time, he concluded, with a deep sigh.
16:16Oh, the devil!
16:17You don't mean it!
16:19exclaimed the other.
16:21Well, I told you before to take out all the strychnine you could get hold of.
16:25We have got to rid the country of the Injins and gray wolves before civilization will stick
16:29in this region.
16:30Manitou had lost one of his brothers in the great fight, and another was badly hurt.
16:36When the war party broke up, Manitou lingered behind to look for his wounded brother.
16:41For the first day or two he would occasionally meet one of his relations, but as the clan
16:46started southeast towards Wolf Mountain, he was left far behind.
16:51When he had found his brother lying helpless a little way from the last gathering of the
16:55wolf people, he licked much of the blood from his coat and urged him to rise and seek
17:00a safer place.
17:02The wounded gray with difficulty got upon his feet and followed at some distance, so that
17:07in case of danger the other could give the signal in time.
17:11Manitou ran nimbly along the side gulches until he found a small cave.
17:16Here you may stay.
17:17I will go hunting, he said, as plain as signs can speak.
17:21It was not difficult to find meat, and a part of Hank's mutton was brought to the cave.
17:27In the morning Manitou got up early and stretched himself.
17:31His brother did not offer to move.
17:34At last he made a feeble motion with his head, opened his eyes and looked directly at him
17:39for a moment, then closed them for the last time.
17:43A tremor passed through the body of the warrior gray, and he was still.
17:47Manitou touched his nose gently, but there was no breath there.
17:51It was time for him to go.
17:54When he came out of the death cave on Plum Creek, Manitou struck out at once for the Wolf
17:59Mountain region.
18:00His instinct told him to seek a refuge as far as possible from the place of death.
18:06As he made his way over the divide, he saw no recent sign of man or of his own kinsfolk.
18:12Nevertheless, he had lingered too long for safety.
18:16The soldiers at the post had come to the aid of the sheepmen, and they were hot on his
18:20trail.
18:22Perhaps his senses were less alert than usual that morning, for when he discovered the
18:26truth, it was almost too late.
18:29A long line of hairy-faced men, riding big horses and armed with rifles, galloped down the
18:35valley.
18:35There goes one of the gray devils, shouted a corporal.
18:40In another breath, the awful weapons talked over his head, and Manitou was running at top
18:45speed through a hail of bullets.
18:47It was a chase to kill, and for him, a run for his life.
18:51His only chance lay in reaching the bad places.
18:55He had but two hundred paces start.
18:58Men and dogs were gaining on him when at last he struck a deep gulch.
19:02He dodged the men around the banks, and their dogs were not experts in that kind of country.
19:08The Sioux runners, in the meantime, had appeared upon a neighboring butte, and the soldiers, taking
19:14them for a war party, had given up the chase and returned to the post.
19:19So, perhaps, after all, his brothers, the wild hunters, had saved Manitou's life.
19:25During the next few days, the young wolf proceeded with caution, and had finally crossed the divide
19:32without meeting either friend or foe.
19:35He was now, in truth, an outcast and a wanderer.
19:39He hunted as best he could with very little success, and grew leaner and hungrier than he
19:45had ever been before in his life.
19:48Winter was closing in with all its savage rigor, and again, night and storm shut down over
19:54Wolf Mountain.
19:56The tall pines on the hillside sighed and moaned as a new gust of wind swept over them.
20:02The snow came faster and faster.
20:05Manitou had now and again to change his position, where he stood huddled up under an overarching
20:10cliff.
20:11He shook and shook to free himself from the snow and icicles that clung to his long hair.
20:17He had been following several black tail deer into a gulch when the storm overtook him, and
20:23he sought out a spot which was somewhat protected from the wind.
20:26It was a steep place facing southward, well up on the side of Wolf Mountain.
20:32Buffalo were plenty then, but as Manitou was alone, he had been unable to get meat.
20:38These great beasts are dangerous fighters when wounded, and unless he had some help it would
20:43be risking too much to tackle one openly.
20:46A band of wolves will attack a herd when very hungry, but as the buffalo then make offense
20:51of themselves, the bulls facing outward, and keep the little ones inside, it is only
20:57by tiring them out and stampeding the herd that it is possible to secure one.
21:03Still the wind blew, and the snow fell fast.
21:06The pine trees looked like wild men wrapped in their robes, and the larger ones might have
21:11passed for their cone-shaped lodges.
21:14Manitou did not feel cold, but he was soon covered so completely that no eye of any of
21:20the wild tribes of that region could have distinguished him from a snow-clad rock or mound.
21:26It is true that no good hunter of his tribe would willingly remain idle on such a day as that,
21:32for the prey is weakest and most easily conquered on a stormy day.
21:37But the long journey from his old home had somewhat disheartened Manitou.
21:42He was weak from lack of food, and, more than all, depressed by a sense of his loneliness.
21:49He is as keen for the companionship of his kind as his brother the Indian,
21:53and now he longed with a great longing for a sight of the other members of the Mayala clan.
21:59Still he stood there motionless, only now and then sniffing the unsteady air,
22:04with the hope of discovering some passerby.
22:08Suddenly, out of the gray fog and frost, something emerged.
22:12Manitou was hidden perfectly, but at that moment he detected with joy the smell of one of his own people.
22:19He sat up on his haunches awaiting the newcomer, and even gave a playful growl by way of friendly greeting.
22:27The stranger stopped short as if frozen in her tracks,
22:30and Manitou perceived a lovely maid of his tribe, robed in beautiful white snow over her gray coat.
22:38She understood the sign language of the handsome young man,
22:41with as nice a pair of eyes as she had ever seen in one of the wolf kind.
22:46She gave a yelp of glad surprise and sprang aside a pace or two.
22:50Manitou forgot his hunger and loneliness.
22:53He forgot even the hairy-faced men with the talking weapons.
22:56He lifted his splendid, bushy tail in a rollicking manner and stepped up to her.
23:02She raised her beautiful tail coquettishly and again leaped sidewise with affected timidity.
23:09Manitou now threw his head back to sniff the wind,
23:12and all the hair of his back rose up in a perpendicular brush.
23:17Under other circumstances this would be construed as a sign of great irritation,
23:21but this time it indicated the height of joy.
23:25The wild courtship was brief.
23:27Soon both were satisfied and stood face to face,
23:31both with plumy tail erect and cocked head.
23:34Manitou teasingly raised one of his forepaws.
23:38They did not know how long they stood there, and no one else can tell.
23:42The storm troubled them not at all,
23:44and all at once they discovered that the sun was shining.
23:47If any had chanced to be near the antelope's leap at that moment,
23:51he would have seen a beautiful sight.
23:54The cliff formed by the abrupt ending of a little gulch
23:57was laced with stately pines,
24:00all clad in a heavy garment of snow.
24:02They stood like shapes of beauty robed in white and jewels,
24:06all fired by the sudden bursting forth of the afternoon sun.
24:11The wolf maiden was beautiful.
24:12Her robe was fringed with icicles which shone brilliant lye
24:16as she stood there abride.
24:18The last gust of wind was like the distant dying away of the wedding march,
24:23and the murmuring pine said,
24:25Amen.
24:26It was not heard by human ear,
24:29but according to the customs of the gray wolf clan it was then,
24:32and there Manitou promised to protect and hunt for his mate during their lifetime.
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