The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-09-20
THE BROOKINGS REGISTER. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 20. 1917

ItCb<A sci EMI ID IIh ~, ~
worked to bulld Il stout cage OF sap
lings, and when II was finished, the
two prisoners were placed in it.
Before the dog was put in with Gray
Wolf, Weyman closely examined the
worn and tooth-marked collar about
his neck.
On the brass plate he found en-
graved the one word, "Kazan." and
with Il strange thrill made tote of 1t
in his diary.
After this Weyman often remained
at the cabin when Henri went out on
the trapline. After the second day he
dared 10 put his hand between the sap
ling bars ami touch kaZan, and the
next day kazan accepted a piece OF
raw moose meat from his hand. But
at his approach. Gray Wolf would al
ways hide under the pile Of balsam in
the corner of their prison. The in
stinct OF generations and perhaps of
centuries had taught her that man
was her deadliest enemy. And yet,
this man did not hurt her, and Kazan
was not afraid of him. She was fright
ened at first then puzzled. and a
growing curiosity followed that. Oc-
c%asionaliy, after the third day, she
would thrust her blind face out OF
the balsam and sniff the air when
Weyman was at the cage, making
friends with kazan. But she would
not eat. Weyman noted that, and each
day he tempted her with the choicest
morselS Of deer and moose fat. Five
dayS-SiX-Seven passed, and she had
not taken n mouthful. Weyman could
count her ribs.
"She die Henri told him on the
seventh night. "She starve before she
eat in that cage. She want the forest,
the wild kill, the fresh blood. She
two-t'ree year old-too old 10 make
civilize."
Henri went to bed Mt the usual hour,
but Wcyman vas troubled, and sat up
late. Midnight anne.
He rose, opened the door softly, and
went out. lnstinctively his eyes turned
westward. The sky was Il blaze Of
stars. In their light he could see the
cage, and he stood, watching and< lis
tening. A sound came To him. 1t was
Gray Wolf gnawing at the sapling bars
of her prison. A moment later there
came "A low s0bbing whine, and he
knew that it was kazan crying for his
freedom.
Leaning against the side of the cabin
was an n. Weyman seized it, and his
lips smiled silently. He moved to-
ward the cage A dozen blows, and
two of the sapling bars We're Knocked
out. Then Weyman drew back. Gray
Wolf found the opening first, and she
slipped out into the starlight like Il
shadow. But she did not flee. Out
in the open space she waited for
KaZan. and for a moment the two
stood there, looking at the cabin. Then
they set off into freedom, Gray Volts
shoulder at kaZan'S flank.
In the swamp kazan and Gray Wolf
found a home under Il windfall. II
was a small, comfortable nest, shut in
entirely from the snow and wind. Gray
Wolf took possession of it Immediately
She iattened herself out on her belly
and painted to show Kazan her con
tentment and satisfaction. Kazan KEEP
close at her side. A vision came tC
him, unreal and dreamlike, of thai
wonderful night under the stars-ages
and ages ago, it seemed-when he hac
fought the leader Of the wolf-pack, anc
young Gray Wolf had crept to his side
after his victory and had given her
se.f to him for mate.
The hair had now begun to grow
over Gray VOLTS sightless eyes. She
had ceased TO grieve, TO rub her eyes
with her paws, to whine for the sun.
light, the golden and the stars
Slowly she began to forget that she
had eve seen those things. She coulc
not run more swiftly at KaZan's flank
Scent and hearing had become wOn
derfully keen. She could wind n carl
bOu two miles distant. and the pres
ence of man she could pick up at ar
! NN'h SICOltl blNIdlIhf. vi a vi lh6
She had heard the splash Of a trout
half a mile away. And as these two
things-scent and hearing-becamt
more and nor developed In her, those
same senses became less active in Ka
ZGn.
lie began to depend upon Gray Wolf
She would point out the hiding place
Of a partridge fifty yards from theil
trail. In their hunts she became thu
leader-until game was found. Ant
as KaZan learned to trust 10 her In The
hunt, so he began just as instinctivel,
to heed her warnings. If Gray VOL
reasoned, 1t was to the effect tina
without Kazan she would die. She hat
tried hard now and then to catch
partridge or a rabbit. but she had al
ways failed. KaZan meant life TO her