University Missourian., 1915-08-19

| woods
Having definitely abandoned life with
the humans, Kazan shows some difidence
about joining the packs of wolves that
roam the country nightly. hunting. Final
| ~ he attempts to join a pack, makes a
kill" in hunting expedition and is
challenged by the leader Of the pack. They
engage in Il fight to the death.
Having killed the leader of the pack,
Kazan is followed by Little Gray Wolf.
and. with her, renters the forest Later,
Little Gray Wolf is wounded by a bullet
aud kaZan. seeking vengeance, leads a
driven by Pierre Radisson. In the attack,
KaZan discovers that the load ON the
sledge is Il woman, Joan, and her baby.
Turning on the members of the pack.
kaZau and Gray Wolf drive them away
aud are wounded in the struggle. Kazan
severely. Now they are outcasts. They
drag themselves away in the snow. Joan.
. so miraculouSly saved, urges Pierre to
does this, with some trouble, and Kazan
makes friends with Joan. Gray Wolf re-
mains in the forest.
She's calling for you, boy" said
Pierre understandingly.
He coughed, and clutched hand to
his breast, where the pain seemed
rending him.
'Frost-bitten lung" he said, speak
ing straight at Kazan. Got it early
in the winter, up at Fond du Lac
Hope we'll get home-in time-with
the kids"
In the loneliness and emptiness of
the big northern wilderness one falls
| into the habit of talking to ones self
But Kazan's head was alert, and his
| eyes watchful. so Pierre spoke to him.
We've got to get them home, and
there's only you and me to do it," he
said, twisting his beard. Suddenly he
clenched his fists.
His hollow racking cough convulsed
him again.
'Home!" he painted, clutching his
chest. "It's eighty miles straight
north-to the Churchill-and pray to
God we'll get Herewith the kids
before my lungs give out"
He rose to his feet, and staggered a
little as he walked. There was a col
lar about Kazaa's neck, and he
chained him to the sledge After that
he dragged three or four small logs
upon the fire, and went quietly into
the tent where Joan and the baby
were already asleep. Several times
that night Kazan heard the distant
voice of Gray Wolf calling for him,
but something told him that he must
not answer it now. Toward dawn
Gray Wolf came close in to the camp,
and for the first time Kazan replied to
her
His howl awakened the man. He
came out of the tent, peered for few
moments up at the sky, built up the
fire, and began to prepare breakfast.
He patted Kazan on the head, and
gave him chunk of meat Joan came
out a few moments later, leaving the
baby asleep in the tent. She ran up
and kissed Pierre, and then dropped
down on her knees beside KaZan, and
talked to him almost as he had heard
her talk to the baby When she jumped
up to help her father. Kazan followed
her, and when Joan saw him standing
firmly upon his legs she gave cry of
pleasure.
1t was a strange journey that be-
gan into the North that day. Pierre
RadissOn emptied the sledge of every
thing but the tent. blankets, food and
the furry nest for baby Joan. Then
he harnessed himself in the traces and
dragged the sledge over the snow.
He coughed necessarily.
"It's cough I've had half the win
ter" lied Pierre, careful that Joan
saw no sign of blood on his lips or
beard. "I'll keep in the cabin for
week when we get home"
Even KaZan, with that strange
beast knowledge which man, unable
to explain. calls instinct, knew that
what he said was not the truth. Per-
maps IL was largely because ne nad
heard other men cough like this. and
that for generations his sledge-dog
ancestors had heard men cough as
Radisson coughed-and had learned
what followed it.
More than once he had scented
death in tepees and cabins, which he
had not entered, and more than once
he had shifted at the mystery of death
that was not quite present. but near
just as he had caught at a distance
the subtle warning of storm and of
fire. And that strange thing seemed
to be very near to him now, as he fol-
lowed at the end of his chain behind
the sledge. 1t made him restless, and