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The Dominant Primordial Beast
HekeptFrancoisbusy,forthedog-driverwasinconstantapprehensionofthelife-and-deathstrugglebetweenthetwowhichheknewmusttakeplacesoonerorlater; andonmorethanonenightthesoundsofquarrellingandstrifeamongtheotherdogsturnedhimoutofhissleepingrobe,fearfulthatBuckandSpitzwereatit.
Buttheopportunitydidnotpresentitself,andtheypulledintoDawsononedrearyafternoonwiththegreatfightstilltocome. Hereweremanymen,andcountlessdogs,andBuckfoundthemallatwork. Itseemedtheordainedorderofthingsthatdogsshouldwork. Alldaytheyswungupanddownthemainstreetinlongteams,andinthenighttheirjinglingbellsstillwentby. Theyhauledcabinlogsandfirewood,freighteduptothemines,anddidallmannerofworkthathorsesdidintheSantaClaraValley. HereandthereBuckmetSouthlanddogs,butinthemaintheywerethewildwolfhuskybreed. Everynight,regularly,atnine,attwelve,atthree,theyliftedanocturnalsong,aweirdandeeriechant,inwhichitwasBuck’sdelighttojoin.
Withtheauroraborealisflamingcoldlyoverhead,orthestarsleapinginthefrostdance,andthelandnumbandfrozenunderitspallofsnow, thissongofthehuskiesmighthavebeenthedefianceoflife,onlyitwaspitchedinminorkey,withlong-drawnwailingsandhalf-sobs,andwasmorethepleadingoflife,thearticulatetravailofexistence.
