University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-08-16

from under her chest and forelegs. He
had killed a rabbit that day and was
not hungry. So he sat back In the
snow and waited, while the ravenous
pack tore at the dead doe. After a
little he came nearer, nosed in be-
tween two of them, and was nfpped
for his intrusion.
AS Kazan drew back, still hesitating
to mix with his wild brothers. big
gray form leaped out Of the pack and
drove straight for his throat. He had
Just time to throw his shoulder to the
attack, and for a moment the two
rolled over and over in the snow. They
were up before the excitement of sud-
den battle had drawn the pack from
the feast. Slowly they circled about
each other, their white fangs bare,
their yellowish backs bristling like
brushes. The fatal ring of wolves
drew about the fighters.
1t was not new to Kazan A dozen
times he had sat in rings like this,
waiting for the final moment More
than once he had fought for his life
within the circle. 1t was the sledge-
dog way of fighting. Unless man in
terrupted with club or a whip it al
ways ended in death Only one fight
er could come out alive. Sometimes
both died. And there was no man
here-only that fatal Gordon of wait
ing white-fanged demons, ready to
leap upon and tear to pieces the first
of the fighters who was thrown upon
his side or back Kazan was a strang-
er, but he did not fear those that
hemmed him in. The one great law
of the pack would compel them to be
fair
He kept his eyes only on the big
gray leader who had challenged him.
Shoulder to shoulder they continued
to circle. Where a few moments be-
fore there had been the swapping of
jaws and the ren0Ing of flesh there
was now silence Soft-footed and soft
throated mongrel dogs from the South
would have snarled and growled, but
Kazan and the wolf were still, their
ears laid forward instead of back,
their tails free and bushy.
Suddenly the wolf struck in with
the swiftness of lightning. and his
jaws came together with the sharp
ness of steel striking steel. They
missed by an inch. In that same in
stant KaZan darted in to the side, and
like knives his teeth gashed the VOLTS
flanks
They circled again. their eyes grow
ing redder, their lips drawn back un-
til they seemed to have disappeared. |
And then Kazan Ieaped for that death I
grip at the throat-and missed. 1t was |
only by an inch again, and the wolf |
came back, as he had done, and laid |
JpCu hoAdh 'hdhh 81 thot lAiC bAooN
ran down his leg and Redeemed the
snow. The burn of that fiank-wOund
told Kazan that his enemy was old in
The game of fighting. He crouched
low. his head straight out, and his
throat close to the snow. 1t was a
rick Kazan had learned in puppy
lood-to shield his throat, and wait.
Twice the wolf circled about him,
and Kazan pivoted slowly, his eyes
lalf closed. A second time the wolf
eaped, and Kazan threw up his terri
Die jaws, sure of that fatal grip just in
ront of the forelegs. His teeth
snapped on empty air. With the. nim-
,leness of a cat the wolf had gone
over his back
The trick had failed, and with a
'umble of the dog-snarl in his throat.
<azan reached the wolf in a single
,ound. They met breast to breast.
Their fangs clashed and with the
Whole weight of his body, Kazan flung
himself against the VOLTS shoulders,
leared his jaws, and struck again for