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as Wolves and Bears； though in the last two cases it was power
merely to surmise where they were and how best to get at them。 He
had been a wolver for years； and greatly surprised me by saying
that 〃never in all his experience had he known a Gray…wolf to
attack a human being。〃
We had many camp…fire talks while the other men were sleeping；
and then it was I learned the little that he knew about Badlands
Billy。 〃Six times have I seen him and the seventh will be Sunday；
you bet。 He takes his long rest then。〃 And thus on the very
ground where it all fell out； to the noise of the night wind and
the yapping of the Coyote； interrupted sometimes by the
deep…drawn howl of the hero
himself； I heard chapters of this history which； with others
gleaned in many fields； gave me the story of the Big Dark Wolf of
Sentinel Butte。
III
IN THE CANON
Away back in the spring of '92 a wolver was 〃wolving〃 on the east
side of the Sentinel Mountain that so long was a principal
landmark of the old Plainsmen。 Pelts were not good in May； but
the bounties were high； five dollars a head； and double for
She…wolves。 As he went down to the creek one morning he saw a
Wolf coming to drink on the other side。 He had an easy shot； and
on killing it found it was a nursing She…wolf。 Evidently her
family were somewhere near； so he spent two or three days
searching in all the likely places； but found no clue to the den。
Two weeks afterward； as the wolver rode down an adjoining ca駉n；
he saw a Wolf come out of a hole。 The ever…ready rifle flew up；
and another ten…dollar scalp was added to his string。 Now he dug
into the den and found the litter； a most surprising one indeed；
for it consisted not of the usual five or six Wolf…pups； but of
eleven； and these； strange to say； were of two sizes； five of
them larger and older than the other six。 Here were two distinct
families with one mother； and as he added their scalps to his
string of trophies the truth dawned on the hunter。 One lot was
surely the family of the She…wolf he had killed two weeks before。
The case was clear： the little ones awaiting the mother that was
never to come； had whined piteously and more loudly as their
hunger…pangs increased； the other mother passing had heard the
Cubs； her heart was tender now； her own little ones had so
recently come； and she cared for the orphans； carried them to her
own den； and was providing for the double family when the
rifleman had cut the gentle chapter short。
Many a wolver has dug into a wolf…den to find nothing。 The old
Wolves or possibly the Cubs themselves often dig little side
pockets and off galleries； and when an enemy is breaking in they
hide in these。 The loose earth conceals the small pocket and thus
the Cubs escape。 When the wolver retired with his scalps he did
not know that the biggest of all the Cubs； was still in the den；
and even had he waited about for two hours； he might have been no
wiser。 Three hours later the sun went down and there was a slight
scratching afar in the hole； first two little gray paws； then a
small black nose appeared in a soft sand…pile to one side of the
den。 At length the Cub came forth from his hiding。 He had been
frightened by the attack on the den； now he was perplexed by its
condition。
It was thrice as large as it had been and open at the top now。
Lying near were things that smelled like his brothers and
sisters； but they were repellent to him。 He was filled with fear
as he sniffed at them； and sneaked aside into a thicket of grass；
as a Night…hawk boomed over his head。 He crouched all night in
that thicket。 He did not dare to go near the den； and knew not
where else he could go。 The next morning when two Vultures came
swooping down on the bodies； the Wolf…cub ran off in the thicket；
and seeking its deepest cover； was led down a ravine to a wide
valley。 Suddenly there arose from the grass a big She…wolf； like
his mother； yet different； a stranger； and instinctively the
stray Cub sank to the earth； as the old Wolf bounded on him。 No
doubt the Cub had been taken for some lawful prey； but a whiff
set that right。 She stood over him for an instant。 He grovelled
at her feet。 The impulse to kill him or at least give him a shake
died away。 He had the smell of a young Cub。 Her own were about
his age； her heart was touched； and when he found courage enough
to put his nose up and smell her nose； she made no angry
demonstration except a short half…hearted growl。 Now； however； he
had smelled something that he sorely needed。 He had not fed since
the day before； and when the old Wolf turned to leave him； he
tumbled after her on clumsy puppy legs。 Had the Mother…wolf been
far from home he must soon have been left behind； but the nearest
hollow was the chosen place； and the Cub arrived at the den's
mouth soon after the Mother…wolf。
A stranger is an enemy； and the old one rushing forth to the
defense； met the Cub again； and again was restrained by something
that rose in her responsive to the smell。 The Cub had thrown
himself on his back in utter submission； but that did not prevent
his nose reporting to him the good thing almost within reach。 The
She…wolf went into the den and curled herself about her brood；
the Cub persisted in following。 She snarled as he approached her
own little ones； but disarming wrath each time by submission and
his very cubhood； he was presently among her brood； helping
himself to what he wanted so greatly； and thus he adopted himself
into her family。 In a few days he was so much one of them that
the mother forgot about his being a stranger。 Yet he was
different from them in several waysolder by two weeks；
stronger； and marked on the neck and shoulders with what
afterward grew to be a dark mane。
Little Duskymane could not have been happier in his choice of a
foster…mother； for the Yellow Wolf was not only a good hunter
with a fund of cunning； but she was a Wolf of modern ideas as
well。 The old tricks of tolling a Prairie Dog； relaying for
Antelope； houghing a Bronco or flanking a Steer she had learned
partly from instinct and partly from the example of her more
experienced relatives； when they joined to form the winter bands。
But； just as necessary nowadays； she had learned that all men
carry guns； that guns are irresistible； that the only way to
avoid them is by keeping out of sight while the sun is up； and
yet that at night they are harmless。 She had a fair comprehension
of traps； indeed she had been in one once； and though she left a
toe behind in pulling free； it was a toe most advantageously
disposed of； thenceforth； though not comprehending the nature of
the trap； she was thoroughly imbued with the horror of it； with
the idea indeed that iron is dangerous； and at any price it
should be avoided。
On one occasion； when she and five others were planning to raid a
Sheep yard； she held back at the last minute because some
newstrung wires appeared。 The others rushed in to find the Sheep
beyond their reach； themselves in a death…trap。
Thus she had learned the newer dangers； and while it is unlikely
that she had any clear mental conception of them she had acquired
a wholesome distrust of all things strange； and a horror of one
or two in particular that proved her lasting safeguard。 Each year
she raised her brood successfully and the number of Yellow Wolves
increased in the country。 Guns； traps； men and the new animals
they brought had been learned； but there was yet another lesson
before hera terrible one indeed。
About the time Duskymane's brothers were a month old his
foster…mother returned in a strange condition。 She was frothing
at the mouth； her legs trembled； and she fell in a convulsion
near the doorway of the den； but recovering； she came in。 Her
jaws quivered； her teeth rattled a little as she tried to lick
the little ones； she seized her own front leg and bit it so as
not to bite them； but at length she grew quieter and calmer。 The
Cubs had retreated in fear to a far pocket； but now they returned
and crowded about her to seek their usual food。 The mother
recovered； but was very ill for two or three days； and those days
with the poison in her system worked disaster for the brood。 They
were terribly sick； only the strongest could survive； and when
the trial of strength was over； the den contained only the old
one and the Black…maned Cub； the one she had adopted。 Thus little
Duskymane became her sole charge； all her strength was devoted to
feeding him； and he thrived apace。
Wolves are quick to learn certain things。 The reactions of smell
are the greatest that a Wolf can feel； and thenceforth both Cub
and foster…mother experienced a quick； unreasoning sense of fear
and hate the moment the smell of strychnine reached them。
IV
THE RUDIMENTS OF WOLF TRAINING
With the sustenance of seven at his service the little Wolf had
every reason to grow； and when in the autumn he began to follow
his mother on her hunting trips he was as tall as she was。 Now a
change of region was forced on them； for numbers of little Wolves
were growing up。 Sentinel Butte； the rocky fastness of the
plains； was claimed by many that were big and strong； the weaker
must move out； a