Page:Silversheene (1924).djvu/172

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against hers. First he licked one side of the face, and then the other.

She wagged her tail feebly, then sighed deeply and without a struggle stretched out dead on the hillside close to the mouth of the wolf den.

Silversheene licked frantically at her face and showered her with kisses, of a dog sort, but he could not bring her back. Seeing that it was useless, he finally lay down by her side with his head between his paws in inconsolable grief. Occasionally he would arise and walk slowly around her, but would soon lie down again by her side.

Once, when one of the wolf dog pups showed his head at the mouth of the burrow, Silversheene drove him back with great ferocity. Then he lay all the afternoon and far into what would have been the night, but the sun still shone. Finally, after many hours had passed he sat up and looked miserably about him. After a while he lifted up his voice to heaven and howled dismally. One by one the pups