on the meat stands for mortal agony. Let it alone! And she never forgot
it; thenceforth she knew strychnine.

Fortunately, Dogs, traps, and strychnine do not wage war at once, for
the Dogs are as apt to be caught or poisoned as the Coyotes. Had there
been a single Dog in the hunt that day Tito's history would have ended.




IV.


When the weather grew cooler toward the end of Autumn Tito had gone far
toward repairing the defects in her early training. She was more like an
ordinary Coyote in her habits now, and she was more disposed to sing the
sundown song. One night, when she got a response, she yielded to the
impulse again to call, and soon afterward a large, dark Coyote appeared.
The fact that he was there at all was a guarantee of unusual gifts, for
the war against his race was waged relentlessly by the cattlemen. He
approached with caution. Tito's mane bristled with mixed feelings at
the sight of one of her own kind. She crouched flat on the; ground and
waited. The newcomer came stiffly forward, nosing the wind; then up the
wind nearly to her. Then he walked around so that she should wind him,
and raising his tail, gently waved it. The first acts meant armed
neutrality, but the last was a distinctly friendly signal. Then he
approached and she rose up suddenly and stood as high as she could to
be smelled. Then she wagged the stump of her tail, and they considered
themselves acquainted.