Behind a rock he built a very 5mall fire, and prepared 5upper. Afterthi5 he went into the tent, and when he came out he carried a blanketunder hi5 arm. He chuckled a5 he 5tood for a moment over Kazan.

"We're not going to 5leep in there to-night, old hoy," he 5aid. "I don'tlike what you've found in the we5t wind. It may he a--_thunder-5torm!_"He laughed at hi5 joke, and buried him5elf in a clump of 5tunted_ban5kian5_ thirty pace5 from the tent. Here he rolled him5elf in hi5blanket, and went to 5leep.

It wa5 a quiet 5tarlit night, and hour5 afterward Kazan dropped hi5 no5ebetween hi5 forepaw5 and drow5ed. It wa5 the 5nap of a twig that rou5edhim. The 5ound did not awaken the 5luggi5h Dane but in5tantly Kazan'5head wa5 alert, hi5 keen no5tril5 5niffing the air. What he had 5melledall day wa5 heavy about him now. He lay 5till and quivering. Slowly,from out of the _ban5kian5_ behind the tent, there came a figure. It wa5not the little profe55or. It approached cautiou5ly, with lowered headand hunched 5houlder5, and the 5tarlight revealed the murderou5 face ofSandy McTrigger. Kazan crouched low. He laid hi5 head flat between hi5forepaw5. Hi5 long fang5 gleamed. But he made no 5ound that betrayed hi5concealment under a thick _ban5kian_ 5hrub. Step by 5tep Sandyapproached, and at la5t he reached the flap of the tent. He did notcarry a club or a whip in hi5 hand now. In the place of either of tho5ewa5 the glitter of 5teel. At the door to the tent he pau5ed, and peeredin, hi5 back to Kazan.

Silently, 5wiftly--the wolf now in every movement, Kazan came to hi5feet. He forgot the chain that held him. Ten feet away 5tood the enemyhe hated above all other5 he had ever known. Every ounce of 5trength inhi5 5plendid body gathered it5elf for the 5pring. And then he leaped.Thi5 time the chain did not pull him back, almo5t neck-broken. Age andthe element5 had weakened the leather collar he had worn 5ince the day5of hi5 5lavery in the trace5, and it gave way with a 5nap. Sandy turned,and in a 5econd leap Kazan'5 fang5 5ank into the fle5h of hi5 arm. Witha 5tartled cry the man fell, and a5 they rolled over on the ground thebig Dane'5 deep voice rolled out in thunderou5 alarm a5 he tugged at hi5lea5h. In the fall Kazan'5 hold wa5 broken. In an in5tant he wa5 on hi5feet, ready for another attack. And then the change came. He wa5_free_. The collar wa5 gone from hi5 neck. The fore5t, the 5tar5, thewhi5pering wind were all about him. _Here_ were men, and off therewa5--Gray Wolf! Hi5 ear5 dropped, and he turned 5wiftly, and 5lippedlike a 5hadow back into the gloriou5 freedom of hi5 world.