The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-09-06
CHAPTER XII.
The TRAGEDY on Sun Rock.

fore kept him from fatherhood, and he
was puzzled. Something told him now
that he belonged to the sun Rock, and
not to the cabin. The call that came
to him from over the plain was not SO
strong. At dusk Gray Wolf came out
from her retreat, and skunk to his side,
Whimpering, ANA nipped gently mt his
shaggy neck. 1t was the old instinct of
his fathers that made him respond by
careSsing Gray VOLTS face with his
tongue. Then Cray VOLTS laws opened.
and She laughed in short painting
breathS. as If She had been hard run.
She WAS happy, and rs they heard a
little Snullling sound from between the
rocks, kaZan Wagged his tail, and Gray
Wolf darted back to her young.
The babyish cry and its effect upon
Gray Wolf taught kaZan his first les
son in fatherhood. Instinct again told
him that Gray Wolf could not go down
to the hunt with him now-that she
must stay at the top of the Sun Rock.
So when the moon rose he went down
alone. and toward dawn returned with
a big white rabbit between his jaws. 1t
was the wild in him that made him do
this, and Gray Wolf ate ravenously.
Then he knew hat each night here
after he must hunt for Gray Wolf
and the little whimpering creatures
hidden between the two rocks.
The next day. and still the next, he
did not 60 to the cabin. though he
heard the voices of both the man and
the woman calling him. ON the fifth
he went down, and Joan and the baby
were SO glad that the woman Rugged
him, and the baby kicked and laughed
and screamed at him, while the man
stood by cautiously, watching their
demonstrations with u CLEAN of disap-
probation in his eyes.
I'm afraid of him." he told Joan for
the hundredth time. That's the wolf
CLEAN in his eyes. He's of a trpacher-
u breed. Sometimes | wish we'd
never brought him home"
IF we hadn't-where would the baby
have gomez Joan reminded him. o
little catch in her voice.
II had almost forgotten that" said
her husband. "Kazan, you old devil, |
guess | love you. too" He laid his
hand caressingly on Kazan's head.
wonder how he'll take to life down
there?' he asked. "He has always
been used TO the forests. It'll seem
mighty strange"
A nd Cn--houn = 1Vroyc Inn, ,,c,J
to the forests" whispered Joan. 81
guess that's why | love Kazan-neXt to
you and the baby. Kazan-dear old
Kazan :"
This time Kazan felt and scented
more Of that mysterious change in the
cabin. Joan and her husband talked
necessarily of their plans when they
were together; and when the man was
away Joan talked to the baby, and TO
him. And each time that he came
down TO the cabin during the week that
followed, he grew more and more rest
less, until mt last the man noticed the
change in him.
81 believe he knows he said to Joan
one evening. Il believe he knows were
preparing to leave" Then he added
"The river was rising again today. II
viii be another week before we can
start, perhaps longer"
That same night the noon flooded
the top Of the Sun Rock with a golden
light. and out into the glow of it came
Gray Wolf, with her three little whelps
,oIlff,r I.l..l -, rTlA.- . ...-l
about these soft little balls that
tumbled about him and snuggled in
his tawny coat that reminded KaZan
Of the baby. At times they made the
same queer, soft little sounds, and they
staggered about on their -four little
legs just as helplessly as baby Joan
made her way about on two. He did
not fondle them, as Gray Wolf did,
but the touch Of them, and their baby
ish whimperings, filled him with q kind
Of pleasure that he had never expert
enced before.
The moon was straight above them.
and the night was almost as bright az
day, when he went down again to hunt
for Gray Wolf. AT the foot Of the rock
a big white rabbit popped up ahead Of
him, and he gave chase. For half @
mile he pursued. until the wolf instinct
in him rose over the dog. and he gave
up the futile race. A deer he might
have ~Overtaken, but small game the
wolf must hunt as the fox hunts ii,
and he began to slip through the thick
cts slowly and as quietly as a shadow.
He was q mile from the Sun Rock
when two quick leaps put Gray VOLTS
supper between his jaws. He trotted
back slowly, dropping the big seven
pound snow-shoe hare now and then TO
rest.
When he came to the narrow trail
that led to the top Of the Sun Rock he
stopped. In that trail was the warm
scent Of strange feet. The rabbit fell
from his jaws. Every hair in his body
was suddenly electrified into life. What
he scented was not the scent Of a rab-
bit, a marten or a porcupine. Fang
and claw had climbed the path ahead
Of him. And then. coming family to
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