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In a moment the runners were together。 Both recoiled； neither went up
in the air； but the white Dog rolled over with a fearful gash in her
shoulderout of the fight； if not killed。 Ten seconds later the Blue…spot
arrived； open…mouthed。 This meeting was as quick and almost as
mysterious as the first。 The animals barely touched each other。 The gray
one bounded aside； his head out of sight for a moment in the flash of quick
movement。 Spot reeled and showed a bleeding flank。 Urged on by the men；
he assaulted again； but only to get another wound that taught him to keep
off。
Now came the keeper with four more huge Dogs。 They turned these
loose； and the men armed with clubs and lassos were closing to help in
finishing the Wolf； when a small boy came charging over the plain on a
Pony。 He leaped to the ground and wriggling through the ring flung his
arms around the Wolf's neck。 He called him his 〃Wolfie pet；〃 his 〃dear
Wolfie〃the Wolf licked his face and wagged its tailthen the child turned
on the crowd and through his streaming tears； heWell it would not do to
print what he said。 He was only nine； but he was very old…fashioned； as
well as a rude little boy。 He had been brought up in a low saloon； and had
been an apt pupil at picking up the vile talk of the place。 He cursed them
one and all and for generations back； he did not spare even his own father。
If a man had used such shocking and insulting language he might have
been lynched； but coming from a baby； the hunters did not know what to
do； so finally did the best thing。 They laughed aloudnot at themselves；
that is not considered good formbut they all laughed at the German
whose wonderful Dogs had been worsted by a half…grown Wolf。
Jimmie now thrust his dirty； tear…stained little fist down into his
very…much…of…a…boy's pocket； and from among marbles and chewing…gum；
as well as tobacco； matches； pistol cartridges； and other contraband； he
fished out a flimsy bit of grocer's twine and fastened it around the Wolf's
neck。 Then； still blubbering a 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
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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
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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 wh