The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-10-04
XIV.
Sandy's Method,

$3.50 $3.50
he came to the worn plate, on which he
could make out the family engraved
letters K-a-z-a-n. He spelled the let
ters out one by one, and the look in his
face was Of one who still disbelieved
what he had seen and heard.
"A dog" he exclaimed again. "A
dog, Sandy McTrigger an "a
beauty!
He rose to his feet and looked down
on his victim. A pool of blood lay in
the white sand at the end of KaZan's
nose. After a moment Sandy bent over
to see where his bullet had struck. His
inspection filed him with a new and
greater interest. The heavy ball from
the muzzle-loader had struck Kazan
1alrly on top of the head. 1t was a
glancing blow that had not even broken
the skull, n like q flash Sandy I'M
derstood the quivering and twitching
Of Kazan's shoulders and legs. He
had thought that they were the last
muscular throes of death. But Kazan
was not dying. He was only stunned,
and would be on his feet again in a few
minutes.
Sandy was a connoisseur of dogs-of
dogs that had worn sledge traces. He
had lived among them two-thirds of his
life. He could tell their age, their
value, and a part of their history at a
glance. In the snow he could tell the
trail of a Mackenzie hound from that
OF a Malemute, and the track Of an
Eskimo dog from that Of a Yukon
husky. He looked at Kazan'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 a roll of stout moose-hide
babiche. Then he sat down cross-leg-
ged in front of Kazan and began max
ing Il muzzle. He did this by plating
babiche thongs in the same ann
that II does in making a web of a
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 n 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 a red film
before his eyes. But his 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, Kazan's fangs
cleaned back. He growled, and the
crest along his spine rose m~enacingly.
Sandy jumped to his feet.
Guess I know what you're figgering
on" he said. I've had your kind be-
fore. The d wolves have turned
you bad, an you'll need a whole lot of
club before you're right again. Now,
look here"
Sandy had taken the precaution of
bringing Il thick club along with the
babiche. He picked it up from where
he had dropped it in the sand. KaZan'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 one more his old
enemy. man-man and the club. All Of
the wild ferocity of his nature was
reused in an instant. Without reason
ing he knew that Gray Wolf was gone,
and that this mar 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, mar and club We're one
and inseparable. With a snarl he
leaped at Sandy. The man was not ex-
pecting a direct assault, and before he
could raise his club or spring aside
Kazan had landed full on his chest.
The muzzle about Kazan's jaws saved
him. Fangs that would have torn his
throat open snapped harmlessly. Tn
der the weight Of the dogs body he
fell back, as if struck down by a
catapult.
AS quick as q cat he was on his feet
dSull, Will LIN tliu VI tlt III
twisted several times about his hand.
KaZan leaped again, and this time he
was met by a furious swing of the club.
1t smashed against his shoulder, and
sent him down in the sand. Before he
could recover Sandy was upon him,
with all the fury of a man zone mad.
He shortened the babiche by twisting it
again and again about his hand, and
the club rose and fell with the skill and
strength of one long accustomed to it's
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 a
force that threatened to break his
bones. There was a tense hard look
about Sanfy's cruel mouth. He had
never known a dog like this before, and
he WAS Il 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 IL the