animal heroes-第29节

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little；　he　set　out　for　home　on　the　Pony；　leading　the　Wolf　and
hurling　a　final　threat　and　anathema　at　the　German　nobleman：　〃Fur
two　cents　I'd　sic　him　on　you；　gol　darn　ye。〃


IV

Early　that　winter　Jimmie　was　taken　down　with　a　fever。　The　Wolf
howled　miserably　in　the　yard　when　he　missed　his　little　friend；
and　finally　on　the　boy's　demand　was　admitted　to　the　sick…room；
and　there　this　great　wild　Dogfor　that　is　all　a　Wolf
iscontinued　faithfully　watching　by　his　friend's　bedside。

The　fever　had　seemed　slight　at　first；　so　that　every　one　was
shocked　when　there　came　suddenly　a　turn　for　the　worse；　and　three
days　before　Christmas　Jimmie　died。　He　had　no　more　sincere　mourner
than　his　〃Wolfie。〃　The　great　gray　creature　howled　in　miserable
answer　to　the　church…bell　tolling　when　he　followed　the　body　on
Christmas　Eve　to　the　graveyard　at　St。　Boniface。　He　soon　came　back
to　the　premises　behind　the　saloon；　but　when　an　attempt　was　made
to　chain　him　again；　he　leaped　a　board　fence　and　was　finally　lost
sight　of。

Later　that　same　winter　old　Renaud；　the　trapper；　with　his　pretty
half…breed　daughter；　Ninette；　came　to　live　in　a　little　log…cabin
on　the　river　bank。　He　knew　nothing　about　Jimmie　Hogan；　and　he　was
not　a　little　puzzled　to　find　Wolf　tracks　and　signs　along　the
river　on　both　sides　between　St。　Boniface　and　Fort　Garry。　He
listened　with　interest　and　doubt　to　tales　that　the　Hudson　Bay
Company's　men　told　of　a　great　Gray…wolf　that　had　come　to　live　in
the　region　about；　and　even　to　enter　the　town　at　night；　and　that
was　in　particular　attached　to　the　woods　about　St。　Boniface
Church。

On　Christmas　Eve　of　that　year　when　the　bell　tolled　again　as　it
had　done　for　Jimmie；　a　lone　and　melancholy　howling　from　the　woods
almost　convinced　Renaud　that　the　stories　were　true。　He　knew　the
wolf…criesthe　howl　for　help；　the　love　song；　the　lonely　wail；
and　the　sharp　defiance　of　the　Wolves。　This　was　the　lonely　wail。

The　trapper　went　to　the　riverside　and　gave　an　answering　howl。　A
shadowy　form　left　the　far　woods　and　crossed　on　the　ice　to　where
the　man　sat；　log…still；　on　a　log。　It　came　up　near　him；　circled
past　and　sniffed；　then　its　eye　glowed；　it　growled　like　a　Dog　that
is　a　little　angry；　and　glided　back　into　the　night。

Thus　Renaud　knew；　and　before　long　many　townfolk　began　to　learn；
that　a　huge　Gray…wolf　was　living　in　their　streets；　〃a　Wolf　three
times　as　big　as　the　one　that　used　to　be　chained　at　Hogan's
gin…mill。〃　He　was　the　terror　of　Dogs；　killing　them　on　all
possible　occasions；　and　some　said；　though　it　was　never　proven；
that　he　had　devoured　more　than　one　half…breed　who　was　out　on　a
spree。

And　this　was　the　Winnipeg　Wolf　that　I　had　seen　that　day　in　the
wintry　woods。　I　had　longed　to　go　to　his　help；　thinking　the　odds
so　hopelessly　against　him；　but　later　knowledge　changed　the
thought。　I　do　not　know　how　that　fight　ended；　but　I　do　know　that
he　was　seen　many　times　afterward　and　some　of　the　Dogs　were　not。

Thus　his　was　the　strangest　life　that　ever　his　kind　had　known。
Free　of　all　the　woods　and　plains；　he　elected　rather　to　lead　a
life　of　daily　hazard　in　the　towneach　week　at　least　some　close
escape；　and　every　day　a　day　of　daring　deeds；　finding　momentary
shelter　at　times　under　the　very　boardwalk　crossings。　Hating　the
men　and　despising　the　Dogs；　he　fought　his　daily　way　and　held　the
hordes　of　Curs　at　bay　or　slew　them　when　he　found　them　few　or
single；　harried　the　drunkard；　evaded　men　with　guns；　learned
trapslearned　poison；　toojust　how；　we　cannot　tell；　but　learn
it　he　did；　for　he　passed　it　again　and　again；　or　served　it　only
with　a　Wolf's　contempt。

Not　a　street　in　Winnipeg　that　he　did　not　know；　not　a　policeman　in
Winnipeg　that　had　not　seen　his　swift　and　shadowy　form　in　the　gray
dawn　as　he　passed　where　he　would；　not　a　Dog　in　Winnipeg　that　did
not　cower　and　bristle　when　the　telltale　wind　brought　proof　that
old　Garou　was　crouching　near。　His　only　path　was　the　warpath；　and
all　the　world　his　foes。　But　throughout　this　lurid；　semi…mythic
record　there　was　one　recurring　pleasant　thoughtGarou　never　was
known　to　harm　a　child。


V

Ninette　was　a　desert…born　beauty　like　her　Indian　mother；　but
gray…eyed　like　her　Normandy　father；　a　sweet　girl　of　sixteen；　the
belle　of　her　set。　She　might　have　married　any　one　of　the　richest
and　steadiest　young　men　of　the　country；　but　of　course；　in
feminine　perversity　her　heart　was　set　on　that　ne'er…do…well；　Paul
des　Roches。　A　handsome　fellow；　a　good　dancer　and　a　fair
violinist；　Fiddler　Paul　was　in　demand　at　all　festivities；　but　he
was　a　shiftless　drunkard　and　it　was　even　whispered　that　he　had　a
wife　already　in　Lower　Canada。　Renaud　very　properly　dismissed　him
when　he　came　to　urge　his　suit；　but　dismissed　him　in　vain。
Ninette；　obedient　in　all　else；　would　not　give　up　her　lover。　The
very　day　after　her　father　had　ordered　him　away　she　promised　to
meet　him　in　the　woods　just　across　the　river。　It　was　easy　to
arrange　this；　for　she　was　a　good　Catholic；　and　across　the　ice　to
the　church　was　shorter　than　going　around　by　the　bridge。　As　she
went　through　the　snowy　wood　to　the　tryst　she　noticed　that　a　large
gray　Dog　was　following。　It　seemed　quite　friendly；　and　the　child
（for　she　was　still　that）　had　no　fear；　but　when　she　came　to　the
place　where　Paul　was　waiting；　the　gray　Dog　went　forward　rumbling
in　its　chest。　Paul　gave　one　look；　knew　it　for　a　huge　Wolf；　then
fled　like　the　coward　he　was。　He　afterward　said　he　ran　for　his
gun。　He　must　have　forgotten　where　it　was；　as　he　climbed　the
nearest　tree　to　find　it。　Meanwhile　Ninette　ran　home　across　the
ice　to　tell　Paul's　friends　of　his　danger。　Not　finding　any
firearms　up　the　tree；　the　valiant　lover　made　a　spear　by　fastening
his　knife　to　a　branch　and　succeeded　in　giving　Garou　a　painful
wound　on　the　head。　The　savage；　creature　growled　horribly　but
thenceforth　kept　at　a　safe　distance；　though　plainly　showing　his
intention　to　wait　till　the　man　came　down。　But　the　approach　of　a
band　of　rescuers　changed　his　mind；　and　he　went　away。

Fiddler　Paul　found　it　easier　to　explain　matters　to　Ninette　than
he　would　to　any　one　else。　He　still　stood　first　in　her　affections；
but　so　hopelessly　ill　with　her　father　that　they　decided　on　an
elopement；　as　soon　as　he　should　return　from　Fort　Alexander；
whither　he　was　to　go　for　the　Company；　as　dog…driver。　The　Factor
was　very　proud　of　his　train　Dogsthree　great　Huskies　with　curly；
bushy　tails；　big　and　strong　as　Calves；　but　fierce　and　lawless　as
pirates。　With　these　the　Fiddler　Paul　was　to　drive　to　Fort
Alexander　from　Fort　Garrythe　bearer　of　several　important
packets。　He　was　an　expert　Dog…driver；　which　usually　means
relentlessly　cruel。　He　set　off　blithely　down　the　river　in　the
morning；　after　the　several　necessary　drinks　of　whiskey。　He
expected　to　be　gone　a　week；　and　would　then　come　back　with　twenty
dollars　in　his　pocket；　and　having　thus　provided　the　sinews　of
war；　would　carry　out　the　plan　of　elopement。　Away　they　went　down
the　river　on　the　ice。　The　big　Dogs　pulled　swiftly　but　sulkily　as
he　cracked　the　long　whip　and　shouted；　〃Allez；　allez；　marchez。〃
They　passed　at　speed　by　Renaud's　shanty　on　the　bank；　and　Paul；
cracking　his　whip　and　running　behind　the　train；　waved　his　hand　to
Ninette　as　she　stood　by　the　door。　Speedily　the　cariole　with　the
sulky　Dogs　and　drunken　driver　disappeared　around　the　bendand
that　was　the　last　ever　seen　of　Fiddler　Paul。

That　evening　the　Huskies　came　back　singly　to　Fort　Garry。　They
were　spattered　with　frozen　blood；　and　were　gashed　in　several
places。　But　strange　to　tell　they　were　quite　〃unhungry。〃

Runners　went　on　the　back　trail　and　recovered　the　packages。　They
were　lying　on　the　ice　unharmed。　Fragments　of　the　sled　were　strewn
for　a　mile　or　more　up　the　river；　not　far　from　the　packages　were
shreds　of　clothing　that　had　belonged　to　the　Fiddler。

It　was　quite　clear；　the　Dogs　had　murdered　and　eaten　their　driver。

The　Factor　was　terribly　wrought　up　over　the　matter。　It　might　cost
him　his　Dogs。　He　refused　to　believe　the　report　and　set　off　to
sift　the　evidence　for　himself。　Renaud　was　chosen　to　go　with　him；
and　before　they　were　within　three　miles　of　the　fatal　place　Renaud
pointed　to　a　very　large　track　crossing　from　the　east　to　the　west
bank　of　the　river；　just　after　the　Dog　sled。　He　ran　it　backward
for　a　mile　or　more　on　the　eastern　bank；　noted　how　it　had　walked
when　the　Dogs　walked　and　run　when　they　ran；　before　he　turned　to
the　Factor　and　said：　〃A　beeg　Voolfhe　come　after　ze　cariole　all
ze　time。〃

Now　they　followed　the　track　where　it　had　crossed　to　the　west
shore。　Two　miles　above　Kildonan　woods　the　Wolf　had　stopped　his
gallop　to　walk　over　to　the　sled　trail；　had　followed　it　a　few
yards；　then　had　returned　to　the　woods。

〃Paul　he　drop　somesin'　here；　ze　packet　maybe；　ze　Voolf　he　come
for　smell。　He　follow　sonow　he　know　zat　eez　ze　drunken　Paul　vot
slash　heem　on　ze　head。〃

A　mile　farther　the　Wolf　track　came　galloping　on　the　ice　behind
the　cariole。　The　man　track　disappeared　now；　for　the　driver　had
leaped　on　the　sled　and　lashed　the　Dogs。　Here　is　where　he　cut
adrift　the　bundles。　That　is　why　things　were　scattered　over　the
ice。　See　how　the　Dogs　were　bounding　under　the　lash。　Here　was　the
Fiddler's　knife　in　the　snow。　He　must　have　dropped　it　in　trying　to
use　it　on　the　Wolf。　And　here…what！　the　Wolf