The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-08-09

body, his fangs sunk deep in her jugu-
lar. She lay heavily on him, but he did
not lose his hold II was his first big
kill. His blood ran Ike fire. He
snarled between his clamped teeth.
Not until the last culver had left
the body over him did he pull himself
out from under her chest and fOrelegs.
He mad killed a rabbit that day and
was not hungry. 50 he sat hack in the
snow and waited, while the rayenous
pack tore at the dead doe. After a lit
tie he came nearer. nOsed in between
two Of them, and was Dipped for his in
trusion.
As Kazan drew back, still hcsitating
to mix with his wild brothers. a big
gray form leaped out Of the pack and
drove straight for his throat. He had
just time to throw his shoulder 10 the
attack, and for a moment the two
rolled over and over in the snow. They
were up before the excitement Of sud
den battle had drawn the pack from
the feast. Slowly they clrcled about
each other, their white fangs bare,
their yellowlsh backs bristling like
brushes. The fatal ring Of wolves
drew about the fighters.
It was not new to Eazan. A dozen
times he had sat in rings like this,
waiting for the final moment. More
than once he had fought for his life
within the circle. Il was the sIedge-
dog way Of fighting. Unless man inter
rupted with a club or a whip it always
ended in death. Only one fighter could
come out alive. Sometimes both died.
And there was no man here-OnIy that
fatal Gordon Of waiting white-fanged
demons, ready TO leap upon and tear
70 pieces the first Of the fighters who
was thrown upon his side or back Ka-
zaH was stranger, but he did not fear
those that hemmed him in. The one
great law Of the pack would compel
them to be fair.
He kept his eyes only on the big gray
leader who had challenged him. Shout
der TO shoulder they continued 10
circle. Where a few moments before
there had been the swapping Of jaws
and the rending Of flesh there was now
silence. SOft-foOted and soft-throated
mOngrel dogs from the south would
have snarled and growled, but Kazan
and the wolf were still, their ears laid
forward instead Of back, their tails
free and bushy.
Suddenly the wolf struck in with the
swiftness Of lightning, and his jaws
came together with the sharpness Of
steel striking steel. They missed by
an inch. In that same instant Kazan
darted in to the side and like knives
his teeth gashed the VOLTS flank.
They circled again, their eyes grow
ing redder. their lips drawn back until
they seemed TO have disappeared. And
then Kazan leaped for that death-grip
NJ the thrOaC-and missed. II was
only by an inch again. and the wolf
came back. as he had done. and laid
open Kazan's flank so that the blood
ran down his leg and redeemed the
snow. The burn OF that fank-wOund
told Kazan that his enemy was old IN
the game Of fighting He crOuched
low, his head straight out. and his
throat close TO the Snow. II was a
rick Eazan had learned in puppyhood
to shield his throat. and wait.
Twice the wolf circled about him.
and Kazan pivOted slowly. his eyes half |
,Iosed. a second time the wolf leaped [
md Kazan threw up his terrible jaws. |
sure of that fatal grip just in front of /
he forelegs. His teeth snapped on 4
Empty air. With the nimbleness Of a !
at the wolf had gone completely over
lis back
The trick had failed. and with a
umble of the dog-snarI in his throat,
lazan reached the wolf in a single
,ound. They met breast to breast.
Their fangS FLASHED and with the whole
Weight of his body, Kazan flung him
elf against the VOLTS shoulders. /
feared his jaws. and struck again for
he throat hold. II was another miss
Y a hairs breadth-and before he
ouId recover. the VOLTS teeth were
uried in the back of his neck.