CHAPTERIII
Themorningstar，large，intenselyblue—white，magnificentinitsdominanceoftheclearnightsky，hungoverthedim，darkvalleyramparts。Themoonhadgonedownandalltheotherstarswerewan，paleghosts。
PresentlythestrainedvacuumofJean’searsvibratedtoalowroarofmanyhoofs。Itcamefromtheopenvalley，alongtheslopetothesouth。Sheppactedasifhewantedthewordtorun。Jeanlaidahandonthedog。\"Holdon，Shepp，\"hewhispered。ThenhaulingonhisbootsandslippingintohiscoatJeantookhisrifleandstoleoutintotheopen。Sheppappearedtobewelltrained，foritwasevidentthathehadastrongnaturaltendencytorunoffandhuntforwhateverhadrousedhim。Jeanthoughtitmorethanlikelythatthedogscentedananimalofsomekind。IfthereweremenprowlingaroundtheranchShepp，mighthavebeenjustasvigilant，butitseemedtoJeanthatthedogwouldhaveshownlesseagernesstoleavehim，ornoneatall。
InthestillnessofthemorningittookJeanamomenttolocatethedirectionofthewind，whichwasverylightandcomingfromthesouth。
Infactthatlittlebreezehadbornethelowroaroftramplinghoofs。