The Arvada enterprise., 1917-11-08
many long days after he had killed his

master. McCready heard the menace In
his throat and came back quickly to
the fire. He began to whistle and
draw the half-burned logs together,
and as the fire blazed up afresh he
shouted to awaken Thorpe and Isobel.
In a 1ew minutes Thorpe appeared at
the tent-fiap and his wife followed him
OUT. her loose hair rippled in billows
OF gold about her shoulders, and she
sat down on the sledge, close to Ka-
zan, and began brushing 1t. McCready
came up behind her and fumbled
among the packages on the sledge. As
II by accident, one of his hands buried
ltself for an instant In the rich tresses
that flowed down her back. She did
not at first feel the caressing touch Of
his fingers, and Thorpe's back was
toward them.
Only Kazan saw the stealthy move
ment Of the hand, the fondling clutch
OF the fingers in her hair, and the mad
passion burning in the eyes of the man.
Quicker than n lynx, the dog had
leaped the length of his chain across
the sledge. McCready sprang back just
In time, and as Kazan reached the end
OF his chain he was jerked back SO
that his body struck sidewise against
the girl. Thorpe had turned In time
to see the end Of the leap. He be-
lieved that kazan had sprung at Iso-
bel, and In his horror no word or cry
escaped his lips us he dragged her
from whore Sho hud hale folloo 0yop
the sledge. He saw that she was not
hurt, and he reached for his revolver.
1t was in his holster in the tent. At
his feet was McCready's whip, and in
the passion Of the moment he seized II
and sprang upon Kazan. The dog
crouched in the snow. He made no
move to escape or to attack. Only once
In his life could he remember having
received beating like that which
Thorpe inflicted upon him now. But
not whimper or growl escaped him.
And then, suddenly, his mistress ran
forward and caught the whip poised
above Thorpe's head.
"NOt another blow' she cried, and
something in her voice held him from
striking. McCready did not hear what
she said then, but strange look came
into Thorpe's eyes. and without a wor0
he followed his wife into their tent.
"Kaznn did not leap at me-" she
whispered, and she was trembling with
a sudden excitement. Her face was
deathly white. "That man was be-
hind me-" she went on, clutching her
husband by the arm. ~ felt him touch
me-and then Kazan sprang. He
wouldn't bite me. It's the mani
There's something-wrong-"
She wns almost sobbing. and Thorpe
drew her close In his arms.
II hadn't thought bcfore-but it's
strange" he said. "Didn't McCready
say something about knowing the dogI
It's possible. Perhaps he's had Kazan
before and abused him In Il way that
the dog has not forgotten. Tomorrow
I'll find out. But until I know-will
you promise to keep away from IA.
zan?"
Isobel give the promise. When they
came out from the tent Kaznn lifted
his great head. The singing lash had
closed one of his eyes and his mouth
was dripping blood. Isobel gave low
sob. but did not go near him. Half
blinded, he knew that his mistress had
stopped his punishment. and he whined
softly, and wagged his thick tail in the
snow.
Never had he felt so miserable ns
through the long hard hours Of the day
that followed. when he broke the trail
for his teammates into the North. One
Of his eyes was closed and filed with
stinging fire. and his body was sore
from the blows OF the caribou lash.
But 1t was not physical pain that gave
the sullen drOOp TO his head and robbed
his body Of That keen quick alertness
of the lend.dog-the commander Of his
mates. 1t was his spirit. For the first
time In his life, 1t was broken. Nc
Cready hnd beaten hlm-lOng ago; his
master had beaten him; md during al!
this day their voices were fierce and
vcngeful In his ears. But 1t wns his
mistress who hurt him most. She held
al00f from him, always beyond the
reach Of his leash; and when they
stopped to rest, md again in camp, she
looked ut him with strange and won
dcring eyes. md did not speak. She.
too, wns ready to beat him. He believed
that, nnd that night he lurked In one
Of the deepest shadows about the camp
fire and gricved alone. None knew that
It was gricf-unless It was the girl.
She did not move toward him. She
did not speak to him. But she watched
him clOsely-nnd studied him hardest
when he wns looking ut McCready.