Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-10-25

sons against laziness- It sort of edu-
Gates.
Mother was worse than silent. There
was something about her that scared
me more than anything outdoors. In
the morning her eye KEEP following me
as IL to say. go find your father"
Surely 1t was up to me, and IL
wasn't big enough to drive the huskies
or pack fathers gun, l thought could
manage afoot to tote his four-pound
AK She beckoned me to her and
kissed me-just once IN ten years, and
1 was quick through the door. out of
reach, lest she should see me mighty
near cryin'.
1t was all very well showing off
brave before mother. but when / got
outside, any excuse would have been
enough for going back 1 wished I'd
left the matches behind, but / hadn't.
I wished the snow would be too soft,
but it was hard as sand. I wished /
wasn't a coward, and the bush didn't
look SO wolfy, and what If l met up
with the Eskimo devili Oh, / was
surely the scaredest liz boy and dead
certain I'd get lost Then I went on
because was going, and there was ia
theirs trail blazed on past Bake-apple
Marsh. The way was as plain as
streets, and the sun shining warm as
he looked over into the valley.
Then l saw a mans mitt, an old
buckskin mitt sticking up out of the
snow Father had dropped his mitt.
and without that his hand would be
froze. When / found him, how glad
he'd be to get it!
But when / tried to pick 1t up, it
was heavy. Then it came away. and
there was fathers hand sticking up.
1t was dead.
OF course 1 know I'd ought to have
dug down through the snow. but l
didn't l ran for all 1 was worth.
Then / got out of breath and come
back shamed.
1t wasn't for love of father. No. /
hated to touch that hand, and when /
did / was sick Still that was better
than being scared to touch. It's not
SO bad when you dare.
dug, with a snow-ehoe for a shovel
There was the buckskin shirt smelling
good, and the long fringes I'd used
to tickle his nose with-then 1 found
his face. ! just couldn't bear that, but
| turned my back and dug until / came
to the great, big, number-four trap he
have stepped without seeing it under
the snow. and it broke his leg. Then
he'd tried to drag himself back home.
1t was when 1 stood up to get
breath and cool off that / first seen the
| wolf, setting peaceful, Vaughn his tail.
| First / thought he was one of our
own huskies, but when he didn't know
| his name / saw for sure he must be
| the wolf who lived up Two Mile Crick.
He'd got poor inspecting fathers bust
ness instead of minding his own
| That's why he was called the Inspec-
| tor. 1t was March, too. the moon of
| famine. OF course l threw my ak
and missed His hungry smiles still
| thar behind a bush, and me wonder
| ing whether his business is with me
or father. That's why / stepped on
the snow-shoes, and went right past
where he was, not daring to get my
ak. Yes, 1t was me he wanted to see
| first, but of course / wasn't going to
encourage any animal into thinking
he'd scared a man. Why, he'd scarce
have let father even see his tracks for
| fear they'd be trapped or shot So ]
walked slow and proud, leadin' him
of from father-at least played that
wishing all the time that mothers Ill
| grabbed down a Topped stick where
| father'd blazed, not as fierce as an
/ ak, but enough to make me more OF
| less respected.
| The Inspector was bigger than me
stronger n any man. swifter n any
horse 1 tell yer the named white vol
Is wtser'n most people, and but fol
eating his cubs, he's natures gentle
| man.
The trouble was not him hunting
but me scared. Why, If he'd wanted
me. one fash, one bite. and I'm break
! fast 1t was just curiosity made hin
SO close behind like a stealthy ghost
| When I'd turn to show fight, he'd seen
to apologize. and then I'd go on whis
Ting a hymn
Thar he was cached right ahead fl
the deadfall, for a front view, IL II
known But thrashed with my sticl
in a panic. hitting his snout, SO b,
yelped. Then he lost his temper. He's
a sorry, ut-business-is-busin ex
preston on him. ran at him. rippet
on stump, let out yell. and he lep
straight at my throat
And in the middle OF that came
gunshot, a bullet grazed my arm. an,
went on whining. Another shot. an,
the Inspector ran Then I was rub
. bling whar the bullet hurt. sort o
sulky. too, with a grievance. when
was suddenly grabbed and nigh smoth
/ cred in mothers arms Shed com
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