The Lamar register., 1915-11-17

amman, mounted II. and rode down.
He heard the cry again, and the sound
OF a discharged rifle. Presently he
came upon the little shelter OF Du-
four.
Dufour was lying outside upon his
side, his rife grasped firmly in his
hand. AS Johnson approached his
horse snorted and reared. Johnson
leaped to the ground A dozen stink
ing forms disappeared in the shadows
nj the sLunted trees
A pack of wolves had scented Du
four and had attacked him.
Johnson fired after them. He
thought by the yelping that he had hit
one; he was sure of 1t when he heard
the beasts fighting over the body. He
turned to Dufour. He saw at a glance
that the man had fallen down the cliff.
He was fearfully injured, and lay as
II paralyzed. His horse had evidently
bolted.
Johnson turned his horse loose. II
would have to look after itself; It
might evade the wolves, but no halter
or ropes could hold II there. 1t leaped,
whinnying. into the darkness. John
son crouched by Dufour's side. wait.
ing. There was no time to lose In
words, and he knew the almost human
cunning OF the wolf pack. maddened
with hunger in the last days of winter.
Suddenly. out OF nothing. 1t seemed
two huge forms leaped toward them.
They fell between Dufour and John
son. Johnson dubbed his rifle and
brought II down on one brutes head
II lay Quiyering. silent. The other
sprang at his throat
For a moment Johnson was forced
back against the cliff He felt the hot
breath on his face and heard the hiss
in the throat. Then somehow he had
evaded the fangs and hurled the mon
ster from him He swung wildly with
his rife stock. By some good fortune
he struck the beast behind the ear. Il
fell. stunned.
Then the rest OF the pack was upon
him. But 1t was beginning to grow
lighter. Johnson dragged Dufour into
the shelter that he had dug in the
bank. and stood in front of him, wait.
ing. Three times his rifle rang out.
and each time he shot down a form
that leaped in midair.
II was growing quite light. The
beasts were snarling over their dead
They crouched round Johnson in a
half-circle. tearing at the flesh and
watching him. too. A wolf prefers
mans flesh to wolf-meat. Johnson
knew that. but he knew that only
concerted attack could overcome him
II was dawn now. The beasts we're
lurking further back among the trees
Johnson fired his last two bullets into
their refuge. He heard a yelping. and
in the gold OF the first sunlight saw
the survivors stream away through
the birch thickets.
Then at last he turned to Dufour
The man must have fallen all the way
down the cliffs. and a glance showed
him that he could not live.
Dufour clutched at Johnson as he
bent over him. "Forgivel" he whis-
pered. Il followed you. l saw you in
the valley l made a detour and went
behind you, to kill you-because you
took the girl loved"
Johnson stared wide-eyed at him:
he seemed to be interpreting his own
heart
Il hated you when Marie refused to
marry me. Stay by me till l die. She
loves you. Forgivel" whispered Du-
four.
Johnson clasped the mans hand in
his. He waited there until the breath
grew fainter. stopped. Johnson closed
the dead eyes and closed the mouth of
the shelter securely. Then he set his
feet upon the trail back to Marie's
cabin.
Copyright. 1915. by W. @. chapmanD