Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-30
LANES OLIVER 0jRWOOD!

ting that the man was close behind
| her now, forgetting that little Joan
was alone in her bed. And to them
from miles and miles across the
plain, there came a wailing cry in
answer cry that seemed a part OF
the wind, and that thrilled Joan unit!
! her breath broke in a strange sob.
Farther out on the plain she went
and then stopped. with the golde'
glow of the autumn moon and the
stars shimmering in her hair and
eyes. 1t was many minutes before
the cry came again, and then it was
so near that Joan put her hands to
her mouth, and her cry rang out over
the plain as in the days Of old.
"Kazan! Kazan! Kazan!"
At the top of the Sun Rock, Gray
Wolf-gaunt and thinned by starva-
tion--heard the woman's cry, and the
call that was in her throat died away
in whine. And to the north swift
ly moving shadow stopped for mo-
ment, and stood like a thing of rock
under the starlight. It was Kazan.
A strange fire leaped through his
body. Every fiber of his brute under
edge that here was home. 1t was
here long ago, that he had lived, and
loved, and fought-and all at once
the dreams that had grown faded and
indistinct in his memory came back
to him as real living things. For,
coming to him family over the plain,
he heard Joan's voice!
In the starlight Joan stood, tense
and white, when from out of the pale
mists of the moonlight, he came to
her, cringing on his belly, painting and
wind-run, and with a strange whining
note in his throat. And as Joan went
to him, her arms reaching out, her
lips sobbing his name over and over
again, the man stood and looked down
upon them with the wonder of new
and greater understanding in his face.
He had no fear of the wolf-dog now.
And as Joan's arms Rugged Kazan's
great shaggy head up to her he heard
the whining gasping Joy of the beast
and the sobbing whispering voice Of
the girl and with tensely gripped
hands he faced the Sun Rock.
My Gawd," he breathed. II be.
lieve-it's So"
AS IT in response to the thought in
his mind, there came once more
across the plain Gray VOLTS mate
seeking cry of grief and of loneliness.
Swiftly as though struck by lash
Kazan was on his feet-oblivious of
Joans touch, of her voice, of the pres.
ence of the man. In another instant
he was gone, and Joan flung herself
against her husbands breast, and
almost fiercely took his face between
her two hands.
Now do you believer" she cried
pantingly. Nov do you believe in the
God of my world-the God have lived
with, the God that gives souls to the
wild things, the God that-that has
all-toge ther-once more !
-home!"
His arms closed gently about her. |
Il believe, my Joan;" he whispered !
And you understand-now-w
t means, Thou shalt not .kill?'" !
Except that it brings us life-yes,
understand he replied.
Her warm soft hands stroked his
ace. Her blue eyes, filed with the
,lory Of the stars, looked up into his.
kaZan and she--yOu and land
he baby! Are you sorry-that we
anne back?' she asked !
So close he drew her against his
'reast that she did not hear the words
e whispered in the soft warmth OF
er hair. And after that, for many
ours. they sat in the starlight in
ront of the cabin door. But they did
OF hear again that lonely cry from
he Sun Rock. Joan and her husband
Understood.
Hell visit us again tomorrow" the