Baxter Springs news., 1917-07-12
KAzAN
| JaSss0O |
0lIIUr
0llFSN0od

Sandy was connoisseur Of dogD-of
dogs TINT had worn sledge traces. BE
had lived among them two-thirds Of his
life he could tell their age. their
value. and q part Of their history at q
glance. In the snow he could ten the
trail Of q Mackenzie hound from that
Of Q Malemute, and the track Of an
Eskimo dog from that Of q Yukon
husky. He looked at KaEan's feet.
They were wolf feet, and he chuckled.
Kazan was part wild. He was big and
powerful, and Sandy thought Of the
coming winter. and Of the high prices
that dogs would bring at Red Gold
City. He went to the canoe and re-
turned with O roll of stout mo0se-hide
babiche. Then he sat down cr0ss-leg-
ged In front Of Kazan and began max
ing q muzzle. He did this by plating
babiche thongs In the same manner
that one does In making q web OF 4
snow-shOe. In ten minutes he had the
muzzle over Kazan's nose and fastened
securely about his neck. To the dogs
collar he then fastened q ten-fOot rope
Of babiche. After that he sat back
and waited for Kazan to come to life.
When Kazan first lifted his head he
could not see. There was q red film
before his eyes. But this passed away
swiftly and he saw the man. His first
instinct was to rise to his feet. Three
times he fell back before he could
stand up. Sandy was squatted six feet
from him, holding the end Of the ba-
biche, and grinning. KaEan'S fangs
cleaned back. He growled, and the
crest along his spine rose menacingly.
Sandy jumped to his feet.
"Guess know what you're hggering
on" he said. 'T've had your kind be-
fore. The d. wolves have turned
you bad, an you'll need whole lot Of
club before you're right again. Now.
look here"
Sandy had taken the precaution OF
bringing q thick club along with the
babiche. He picked II up from where
he had dropped 1t In the sand. KaEan's
strength had fairly returned to him
now. He was no longer dizzy. The
mist had cleared away from his eyes.
Before him he saw once more his old
enemy, man-man and the club. All OF
the wild feroclty of his nature was
reused in an instant. Without reason.
ing he knew that Grny Wolf was gone,
and that this man was accountable for
her going. He knew that this man
had also brought him his own hurt, and
what he ascribed to the man he also
attributed to the club. In his newer
undertaking Of things, born Of freedom
and Gray Wolf, man and club were one
and inseparable. With q snari he
ieaped at Sandy. The man was not ex-
pecting q direct assault, and before he
could raise his club or spring aside
Kazan hnd landed full on his chest.
The muzzle about Kazan's jaws saved
him. Fangs that would have torn his
throat open snapped harmlessly. Un-
der the weight Of the dogs body he
fell back, rs II struck down BY q
catapult.
As quick as q cot he was on his feet
again, with the end Of the babiche
twisted several times about his hand.
Kazan leaped again, and this time he
was met by furious swing Of the club.
It smashed against his shoulder, and
sent him down In the sand. Before he
could recover Sandy was upon him,
with all the fury of man gone mad.
He shortened the babiche by twisting 1t
again and again about his hand, and
the club rose and fell with the skill and
strength Of one long accustomed to Its
use. The first blows served only to
add to Kazan's hatred Of man, and the
ferocity and fearlessness Of his attacks.
Again and again he leaped In, and each
time the club fell upon him with q
force that threatened to break his
bones. There wei a tense hard look
about Sandy's cruel mouth. He had
never known a dog like this before, and
he was O bit nervous, even with KaZan
muzzled. Three times Kazan's fangs
would have sunk deep In his flesh had
II not been for the babiche. And II the
thongs about his jaws should slip, or
break.
Sandy followed up the thought with
a smashing blow that landed on Ka-
ran's head, and once more the old bat
der fell limp upon the sand. McTrig'
gers breath was coming In quick gasps.
BE was almost winded. Not until the
club slipped from his hand did ne
realize how desperate the fight had
been, Before KaZan recovered from
the blow that had stunned him SANDY
examined the muzzle and strengthened
1t by adding another babiche thong.
Then he dragged Kazan to log that
high water had thrown up on the
shore a few yards away and made the
end Of the bablche rope fast to dead
mag. After that he pulled his canoe
higher up on the sand. and began to
prepare camp for the night.
= For some minutes after Kazans
stunned senses had become normal ne
lay motlOnless, watching Sandy Nc
TrfOOar Fvarv hone in his body gave