The Lamar register., 1917-03-07
TRUE AT THE LAST
WoIf-Dog Deserted Master, But
Still Loved Him.
Answered "calI Of His Fathers"
Though He Proved Loyal When
Loyalty Meant Death by the
Fanps of His Pack.


pyhood. He stood nearly forty inches,
with small ragged, rail-like body, and
unusually long legs that ended in great,
soft, padlike feet. Jack Stern, Steve
Wormell's partner, used to say that
the dog could not turn round in their
"two-by four" cabin without knocking
over the table and chairs and seriously
endangering the stove and other furni-
ture.
One evening, as Steve and JACK sat
playing a game of cribbage in their
ranger cabin, wolf howled lugubri-
ously from the mountain side. After IL
moment came the answer; then an
other caught up the call, and another,
until the lonesome wall echoed from
mountain top to mountain top.
Suddenly there came a howl, nearer
and more deep-throated.
Stern opened the door.
Come here. Stevel" he said and
the ranger stepped to his side.
On a small, treeless mound, not far
from the cabin, sat Wolf. He was
squatting on his launches, with his
nose pointed toward the sky, while
from his throat came cry quite un-
like his usual howl.
ITS the call of his fathers, Steve"
said Jack. Some day you1l have no
dog he'll be gone with the pack"
Steve laughed at the idea. He had
brought Wolf, an awkward, bench-leg-
ged puppy, out to the ranger cabin in a
sack; the dog had always been faith
II nd u.N
But one morning In the spring Wolf
WAS missing.
At first Steve clung to the hope that
Wolf would return when the running"
season was over. He had heard of
dogs doing that But spring merged
into summer and summer into fall, yet
the dog did not come back.
Then they began to hear that Wolf
had been seen running at the head of a
small band of wolves, although they
never found man who had actually
seen him.
About Christmas time, when the
snow was deeper than for many win
ters past, prowling bands of wolves be
gan to come down near the camp.
One day Steve found that large
bull elk had been killed within a mile
OF camp. Signs of the struggle were
to be seen for a hundred yards round.
Near the scattered bones of the elk
were the disembowled remains of two
wolves. A little farther along a young
COW elk had fallen beneath the fangs
of the mountain bandits. And at each
kill Steve found large track, twice
h. Sd % Nlv.N IL l..
wolf.
When the snow had crusted so that
II would bear up the weight Of a man,
Steve threw his rifle across his arm
and walked over TO the breaks OF the
Grande Ronde. He was nearing the
broken lands when the sound of a rurR
ming pack came to his ears moment
later small band OF wolves, perhaps
fifteen in number. burst from the tim
ber, running toward him. And at their
head ran Wolf.
The ranger forgot his danger. He
cried, wolf, don't you know me7"
The sound of his voice brought the
great dog to standstill and the pack
stopped with him. Nose in the air,
sides aquiver, he stood moment;
then, with low bay Of recognition. he
sprang toward his one-time master
The pack, evidently mistalIing their
leaders intention, likewise rushed at
Steve. And the next instant, with his
gun dubbed, he was in the midst of
snarling, swapping mass Of famine
crazed wolves.
When Jack arrived on the scene he
found Steve sitting in the snow, with
the shaggy head of Wolf pillowed in
his lap. Around him, with their NANCY
pelts torn and bloody, lay half dozen
dead wolves.
The rangers clothing was torn to
shreds and one arm and leg were
mass of cuts and gashes; but there
were tears in his eyes.
He fought for me-, Jack" he said,
pressing the stiffening lids over the
glazed eyes Of the dead hound. HE
gave his life for me. How he fought !
And against his own blood, too. Yon-
der lies one of his own pups. Why
shouldn't 1 love him7''-Youth's Com
panion.