The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-10-18

watching Kazan closely. From the
west there had now and then come a
scent that stirred him uneasily. Since
noon he had shifted that wind. Twice
McGill had heard him growing deep
in his throat, and once, when the
scent had come stronger than usual,
he had barred his fangs. and the bris-
ties stood up along his spine.
For an hour after striking camp the
little professor did not build a fire,
but sat looking up the shore of the
lake through his hunting glass. 1t
was dusk when he returned to where
he had put up his ten and chained
the dogs. For a few moments he
stood unohseryed. looking Mt the wolf
dog. kazan was still uneasy. He lay
facing the west. McGill made note Of
this, for the big Dane lay behind Ka-
zan-to tie east. Under ordinary con-
ditions knZan would have faced him.
He was sure now that there was
thing In the west wind. A little SILVER
ran up his back as he thought Of what
it might be.
Behind q rock he built n very small
fire, and prepared supper. After this
he went into the tent, and when he
came out he carried a blanket under
his arm. tie chuckled as he stood for
a moment over Kazan.
"We're not going to sleep in there
tonight. old boy" he said. II don't
like what you've found In the west
wind. 1t may be a-thunderstorm T.
He laughed at his Joke, and buried
nimself in a clump Of stunted BAN
skians 80 PAGES from the tent. Here
, he rolled himself in his blanket, and
went to sleep.
1t was Il quiet starlit night, and
hours afterward Kazan dropped his
nose between his ~forepaws and
drOwsed. 1t was the snap Of a twig
that reused him. The sound did not
awaken the sluggish Dane but In
stantly Knzan's head was alert, his
keen nostrils shifting the air. What he
had smelled all day was heavy about
him now He lay still and quivering.
Slowly, from out Of the banskians be-
hind the tent, there came II figure. 1t
was not the little professor. 1t ap-
preached cautiously, with lowered
head and hunchcd shoulders, and the
starlight revealed the murderous face
Of Sandy McTrigger. Kazan crouched
low. He laid his head flat between
his forcpaws. His long fangs cleaned.
But he made no sound that betrayed
his concealment under n hick BAN
skian shrub. Step by step Sandy ap-
preached, and ut last he reached he
flap Of the tent. He did not carry a
club or a whip in his hand now. In
the place Of either of those was the
glitter of steel. At the door to the
tent he paused, and peered In, his
back to KaZan.
Silently, swiftly-the wolf now In
every movement, Kazan came to his
feet. He forgot the chain that held
him. Ten feet away stood the enemy
he hated above all others he had ever
known. Every ounce Of strength In
his splendid body gathered itself FOR
the spring. And then he leaped. This
time the chain did not pull him back
almost neckbroken. Age and the ele'
mentS had weakened the leather col
lar he had worn since the days OF his
slavery in the traces, and 1t gave way
with n snap. Sandy turned, and In q
second leap Kazan's fangs sank into
the flesh Of his arm.
With a startled cry the nan fell
and as they rolled Owe on the ground
the big Danes deep voice rolled OF
in thunderous alarm as he tugged a,
his leash. In the fall Kazan's hold was
broken. In an instant he was on his
Feet. ready for another attack. And
then the change came. He vas free
The collar was gone from his neck
The forest, the stars, the whispering
wind were all about him. Here were
men, and off there was-Gray Wolf
Hts ears dropped, and he turned swift
~, and slipped Ike Il shadow back Into
the glorious freedom Of his world.
A hundred yards away something
stopped him for an instant. 1t was
not the big Danes voice, but the SHARP
northumberland, Of the little pro
f~essOr's automatic. And above that
sound there rose the voice Of Sandy
McTrigger In q weird and terrible
cry.
(TO BE CONTINUED