Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1916-08-11
true At The LAST
WOIf-Dog Deserted Master, But
Still Loved Him.
Answered "call Of His Fathers
Though He Proved Loyal When
Loyalty Meant Death by the
Fangs of His Pack.

aftds W IT'S avn
He had been called Wolf since pup
pyhood. He stood nearly forty inches.
with n small ragged, rail-like body. and
unusually long legs that ended in great.
soft, padlike feet. Jack Stern, Steve
Wormelfs partner. used TO say that
the dog could not turn round in their
'two-by four cabin without knocking
over the table aud chairs and seriously
endangering the stove and other furni-
ture
One evening. as Steve and Jack sat
playing n game OF cribbage in their
ranger cabin. a wolf howled lugubri-
ously from the mountain side. After q
moment came the answer; then an
other caught. up the call, and another,
until the lonesome wall echoed from
mountain top 10 mountain top.
Suddenly there came a howl. nearer
and more deep-throated.
Stern opened the door.
"Come here, Steye~ he said. and
the ranger stepped to his side.
On a small. treeless mound, not far
from the cabin, sat Wolf. He was
squattlng on his launches, with his
nose pointed toward the sky. while
from his throat came cry quite I'M
Ike his usual howl.
Its the call OF his fathers, Steve"
said Jack. "some day you'll have no
dog; he'll be gone with the pack"
Steve laughed at the Idea. He had
brought Wolf. an awkward. benchlcg-
ged puppy, out 10 the ranger cabin IN a
suck the dog had always been faith
ful aud contented with his lot.
Rnt one morning In the spring Wolf
was missing.
At first Steve clung TO the hope that
Wolf would return when the running
season was over. lie had heard OF
dogs doing that. But spring merged
into summer. and summer into fan. yet
the dog did not come back.
Then they began TO hear that Wolf
had been seen running az the head Of
small band Of wolves, although they
never found a man who had actually
seen him.
About Christmas time. when the
snow was deeper than for many win
tiers past, prewling bands OF wolves be-
gan to come down near the camp.
one day Steve found that large
bull elk had been killed within n mile
Of camp. Signs Of the struggle were
20 be seen for hundred yards round.
Near the scattered bones OF the elk
were the dlsembowied remains OF two
wolves. A little farther along n young
COW elk had fallen beneath the fangs
Of the mountain bandits. And az each
kin Steve found large track. twice
the size Of that made by common
wolf.
When the snow had crusted go that
II would bear up the weight OF man.
Steve threw his rifle across his arm
and walked over 10 the breaks OF the
Grande Rondc. lie was nearing the
broken lands when the sound OF run
ming pack came 10 his ears. A moment
later a small band Of wolves. perhaps
fifteen In number. burst from the tim
Der, running. toward him. And at their
head ran Wolf.
The ranger forgot his danger. He
cried. '.Wolf. don't you know mef'
The sound of his voice brought the
great dog 10 standstilI. and the pack
stopped with him. Nose ia the air,
sides aqniyer. he stood moment:
then. with low bay Of recognition. he
sprang toward his one-time master.
The pack. evidently mlstnking their
leaders intention. likewise rushed AT
Steve. And the next instant, with his
gun dubbed. he was In the midst OF a
snarling, swapping mass OF famine
crazed wolves.
When Jack arrived on the scene he
found Steve sitting In the snow, with
the shaggy head of Wolf pillowed in
his lap. Around him, with their NANCY
pelts torn and bloody, lay half dozen
deadswolyea
The rangers clothing was torn to
shreds and one arm and leg were a
mass of cuts and gashes; but there
We're tears In his eyes.
HE fought for me. Jack" he said.
pressing the stiffening lids over the
glazed eyes OF the dead hound. "He
gave his life for me. How he fought.
And against his own blood, too. Yon-
der lies one Of his own pups. Why
shouldn't ! love him T'-Youth's Com