Slone saw a gray, pantherish form gliding away into the shadows.

He took a quick shot at it, but missed.
"It's a lion country, all right," he said.

And then he set about building a big fire on the other side of the grassy plot, so to have the horses between fires.

He cut all the venison into thin strips, and spent an hour roasting them.

Then he lay down to rest, and he said: "Wonder where Wildfire is to-night?
Am I closer to him?
Where's he headin' for ?" The night was warm and still.