Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-06-21

dozen times he leaped in. and swain
out into the stream. But Gray Wolf
would come no farther than she could
wade
They could hear the distant murmur-
ing roar Of the fire now. Ahead OF II
came the wild things. Moose, caribou
and deer plunged into the water Of the
streams and swan TO the safety of the
opposite side Out upon white finger
Of sand numbered big black bear with
two cubs and even the cubs took to
the water, and SWAN across easily. ka-
zan watched them, and whined TO Gray
Wolf.
And then out upon that white finger
If sand came other things that dreaded
the water as Gray Wolf dreaded 1t:
big fat porcupine. a sleek little marten.
fisher-cat that shifted the air and
walled like u child. Those things that
could not or would not swim Outnum-
bered the others three 10 one. Hun
dreds of little ermne scurrled along
the shore like rats, their squeaking lit
tie voices sounding necessarily; foxes
ran swiftly along the banks, seeking
tree or a windfall thai might bridge
the water for them; the lynx snarled
and faced the fire; and Gray VOLTS
own tribe-the wOlves-dared take NO
deeper step than she.
Dripping and painting, aud half
choked by heat and smoke, Kazan came
to Gray VOLTS side. There was but
one refuge left near them, and that
was the sand bar. 1t reached out for
fifty feet into the stream. Quickly he
led his blind mate toward 1t. As they
came through the low brush To the
river-bed, something stopped them
both. To their nostrils had come the
scent of deadlier enemy than fire. A
lynx had taken possession of the sand
bar, and was crOuching ut the end of
It. Three porcupines had dragged
themselves into the edge Of the water,
and lay there like balls, their quilts
nlert and Quivering. \ iisher-cat was
Snnrling at the lynx. And the lynx,
with ears laid back. watched KaZan
md Gray Wolf as they began the inva-
sion of the sand bar.
Faithful Gray Wolf was full of fight,
md she sprang shoulder TO shoulder
with Kazun, her fangs barred. With an
nngry snap, Kazan drove her back, and
she stood quiverlng and whining while
he advanced. Light-footed, his pointed
EARS forward. no menace or threat in
his attitude, he advanced. 1t was the
deadly advance of the husky trained in
battle, skilled in the art of killing. A
man from civilization would have said
that the dog was approaching the lynx
with friendly intentions. But the lynx
understood. 1t was the old feud of
many ACCOMPLISHMENTS deadlier now
by Kazan's memory of that night ut the
top Of the Sun Rock.
Instinct told the fisher-cat what was
coming, and 1t crOuched low and fiat;
the pOrcuplnes, scOldinG like little chill
dren at the presence Of enemies and
the thickening clouds of smoke, thrust
their quilts still more erect. The lynx
BAY on its belly, like cat, its hind
quarters twitching, and gathered for
the spring. Kazan's feet seemed scarce
ly to touch the sand us he circled light
~ around 1t. The lynx pivoted as he
circled, and then II shot In a round
Enarling ball over the eight feet of
space that separated them.
Kazan did not leap aside. He made
no effort to escape the attack, but met
1t fairly with the full force Of his Shout
ders, as sledge-dog meets sledge-dog.
He was ten pounds heavier than the
lynx, and for a moment the big loose
jolntsd cat with its twenty knlfelike
claws was thrown on its side. Like q
fash Kazan took advantage Of the mo-
ment, and drove for the back Of the
cats neck.