University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-08-27

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but the storm drove him back. Every
thing that possessed life had sought
shelter, according to its way and in.
stinct The furred creatures like the
mink and the ermine were safest, fol
during the warmer hunting days they
were of the kind that cached meat
The wolves and the foxes had sought
out the windfalls and the rocks
Winged things, with the exception OF
the owls, who were tenth part body
and nine-tenths feathers, burrowed
under snOw-drifts or found shelter in
thick spruce. To the hoofed and
horned animals the storm meant
greatest havoc. The deer. the carl
bOu and the moose could not crawl
under windfalls or creep between
rocks. The best they could do was to
lie down in the lee of a drift, and al
low themselves to be covered deep
with the protecting snow. Even then
=,
for they had to eat. For eighteen
hours out of the twenty-four the
moose had to feed to keep himself
alive during the winter. His big
stomach demanded quantity. and it
took him most of his time to nibble
from the tops of bushes the two or
three bushels he needed a day. The
caribou required almost as much
the deer least of the three.
And the storm kept up that day,
and the next, and still a third-three
days and three nights-and the third
day and night there came with it a
stinging, shot-like snow that fell two
feet deep on the level. and in drifts
of eight and ten. 1t was the heavy
snow" of the Indians-the snow that
lay like lead on the earth, and under
which partridges and rabbits were
in thousands.
On the fourth day after the begin
ming of the storm Kazan and Gray
Wolf issued forth from the windfall.
There was no longer wind-nO more
falling snow. The whole world lay
under a blanket of unbroken white,
and it was intensely cold
The plague had worked its havoc
with men. Now had come the days of |
famine and death for the wild things. /
CHAPTER XIII
The Trail of Hunger
KaZan and Gray Wolf had been a
hundred and forty hours without
'oOd. To Gray Wolf this meant acute
growing weakness. To
<azan it was starvation. Six days and
'ix nights of fasting had drawn in
heir ribs and put deep hollows in
ront of their hindquarters. Kazan's
yes were red, and they narrowed to
lits as he looked forth into the day
Tray Wolf followed him this time
When he went out on the hard snow.
Eagerly and hopefully they began the
lunt in the bitter cold. They swung
Iround the edge of the windfall, Il
where there had always been rabbits.
There were no tracks now, and no
cent They continued in horseshoe
ircle through the swamps, and the
My scent they caught was that of a
now-Owl perched up in a spruce.
hey came to the burn and turned
ack, hunting the opposite side of the
wamp. On this side there was a
idge. They climbed the ridge, and
rom the cap of it looked out over
Torld that was barren of life. Cease
essly Gray Wolf shifted the air. but
he gave no signal to Kazan. On the
op of the ridge Kazan stood painting. =
lis endurance was gone. On their !.
eturn through the swamp he STUN
led over an obstacle which he tried
, clear with a jump. Hungrier and
'eaker, they returned to the wfndfall.
he night that followed was clear,
nd brilliant with stars. They hunt
1 the swamp again. Nothing was
loving-save one other creature, and
lat was a fox. Instinct told them
lat it was futile to follow him.
1t was then that the old thought of
lie cabin returned to Kazan. Two
lings the cabin had always meant to
and food. And far be-
ond the ridge was the cabin. where
e and Gray Wolf had howled at the
,ent of death. He did not think of
an-or of that mystery which he
i'd howled at He thought only of the
Ibin, and the cabin had always meant
cd. He set off in straight line for
e ridge, and Gray Wolf followed.
hey crossed the ridge and the burn
,yond, and entered the edge of Sec
Id swamp. Kazan was hunting list
ssly now. His head hung low. His
lshy tail dragged in the snow. He
as intent on the cabln-only the