Gilpin observer., 1917-12-13

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his throat and came back quickly to
the fire. He began to whistle and
draw the half-burned logs together.
and as the fire blazed up afresh he
shouted to awaken Thorpe and Isobel.
In few minutes Thorpe appeared at
the tent-flap and his wife followed him
out. Her loose hair rippled in pillows
of gold about her, shoulders, and she
sat down on the sledge, close to Ka-
zan, and began brushing 1t. McCready
came up behind her and fumbled
among the packages on the sledge. As
IL by accident, one of his hands buried
itself for an instant in the rich tresses
that flowed down her back. She did
not at first feel the caressing touch Of
his fingers, and Thorpe's back was
toward them.
Only Kazan saw the stealthy move
ment Of the hand, the fondling clutch
of the fingers In her hair, and the mad
passion burning in the eyes of the man.
Quicker than lynx, the dog had
leaped the length of his chain across
the sledge. McCready sprang back just
in time, and as Kazan reached the end
of his chain he was jerked back SO
that his body struck sidewise against
the girl. Thorpe had turned in time
to see the end Of the leap. He be-
lieved that Kazan had sprung at Iso-
bel, and in his horror no word or cry
escaped his lips as he dragged her
from where she had half fallen over
the sledge. He saw that she was not
hurt, and he reached for his revolver.
It was In his holster in the tent. At
his feet was McCready's whip, and in
the passion of the moment he seized 1t
and sprang upon Kazan. The dog
move to escape or to attack. Only once
in his life could he remember having
received a beating like that which
Thorpe inflicted upon him now. But
not whimper or growl escaped him.
And then, suddenly, his mistress ran
forward and caught the whip poised
above Thorpe's head,
mot another blow! I" she cried, and
something in her voice held him from
striking. McCready did not hear what
she said then, but strange look came
into Thorpe's eyes, and without word
he followed his wife into their tent.
"Kazan did not leap at me-" she
whispered, and she was trembling with
sudden excitement. Her face was
deathly white. "That man was be-
hind me-" she went on, clutching her
husband by the arm. II felt him touch
me-and then Kazan sprang. He
wouldn't bite me. It's the mani
There's something-wrong-
She was almost sobbing, and Thorpe
drew her close in his arms.
81 hadn't thought before-but it's
strange" he said. "Didn't McCready
say something about knowing the dog?
It's possible. Perhaps he's had Kazan
before and abused him in a way that
the dog has not forgotten. Tomorrow
you promise to keep away from Ka-
zan?"
Isobel gave the promise. When they
came out from the tent Kazan lifted
his great head. The singing lash had
closed one of his eyes and his mouth
was dripping blood. IsObel gave low
sob, but did not go near him. Half
blinded, he knew that his mistress had
stopped his punishment, and he whined
softly, and wagged his thick tail in the
snow.
Never had he felt so miserable rs
through the long hard hours of the day
that followed, when he broke the trail
for his teammates into the North. One
of his eyes was closed and filed with
stinging fire. and his body was sore
from the blows of the caribou lash.
But it was not physical pain that gave
the sullen droop to his head and robbed
his body of that keen quick alertness
of the lead-dog-the commander of his
mates. 1t was his spirit. For the first
time in his life, 1t was broken. Nc
Cready had beaten him-lOng, ago; his
master had beaten him; and during all
this day their voices were fierce and
vengeful in his ears. But it was his
mistress who hurt him most. She held
aloof from him, always beyond the
reach of his leash; and when they
stopped to rest, and again In camp, she
looked at him with strange and Won
dering eyes, and did not speak. She.
too, was ready to beat him. He believed
that, and that night he lurked in one
Of the deepest shadows about the camp
fire and grieved alone. None knew that
it was grief-unless 1t was the girl.
She did not move toward him. She
did not speak to him. But she watched
him closely-and studied him hardest
when he was looking mt McCready.