The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-09-06

ROCK, and Gray VOLTS head snuggled
closer 10 kazan, and Kazan's ears
dropped back, and he licked her
wounds. Late in the afternoon Kazan
LETT Gray Wolf long enough to run to
the bottom of the trail and bring up
the SnoW-shoe rabbit. Gray Wolf muz-
zled the fur and flesh. but would not
eat. Still Il little later kazan urged
her 10 follow him to the trail. He no
longer wanted 10 stay at the top of the
sun Rock, and he no longer wanted
Gray Walt 10 stay there. Step by step
lie drew her down the winding path
away from her dead puppies. She
would move only when he was very
near hcr-so near that She could touch
his Scared flank with her nose.
They came at last TO the point in the
trail where they had TO leap down II
distance of three or four feet from the
edge of Il rock. and here kazan saw
how utterly helpless Gray Wolf had
become. She whined, and crouched
twenty times before she dared make
the spring, and then she jumped stiff
legged, and fell in a heap at KaZan's
feet. After this Kazan did not have
to urge her So hard. for the fall i'm
pinged on her the fact that she was
safe only when her muzzle touched her
mates flank. She followed him obedi-
entity when they reached the plain,
trotting with her foreshoulder TO his
hip.
kazan was heading FOR n thicket IN
the creek bottom half Il mile away,
and a dozen times in that short dis
lance Gray Wolf stumbled and fell.
And each time that she fell KaZan
learned n little more of the limitations
OF blindness. Once he Sprang off in
pursuit Of Il rabbit, but he had not
taken twenty leaps when he stopped
and looked back. Gray Wolf had noA
moved an inch. She stood motionlcSS,
smiling the air-Walting for him For
Il full minute kazan stood, also wait
ing. Then he returned to her. Ever
after his he returned to the point
where he had left Gray Wolf, knowing
that he would find her there.
All that day they remained in the
thicket. In the afternoon he visited
the cabin. Joan and her husband were
there. and both saw at nee Kazan's
torn side and his laceratcd head and
shoulders.
Pretty near a finish fight for him."
said the man, after he had examined
him, az ,taS nitln. a lytx an "A hnar
Another wolf could not do that"
For half an hour Joan worked over
him, talking to him all the time, and
fondling him With her soft hands. She
hathed his wounds in warm water, and
then covered them with n healing save,
and kazan was filed again with hat
old reStful desire to remain with her
always, and never TO go back into the
forests. For an hour she let him lie
IN the edge of her dress, with his nose
touching her foot, while she worked on
baby things. Then she rose to prepare
supper, and kazan got up-a little
wearily-and went to the door. Gray
Wolf and the gloom of the night were
calling him, and he answered that call
with a slouch Of his shoulders and Il
dropping head. It's old thrill was gone.
He watched his chance, and went out
through the door. The moon had risen
when he rejoincd Gray Wolf. She
greeted his return with a low whine of
joy, and muzzled him with her blind
face, In her helplessncsS she looked
ho y,;nr tJ,,, Ir,y,, l., an IL, .t,,,th
From now on. during the days that
followed, il was n last great fight be-
tween blind and faithful Gray Wolf
and the woman. If Joan had known of
what lay in the thicket, if she could
once have seen the poor creature to
whom Kazan was now all life-thc sun,
the stars. the moon. and food-she
would have helped Gray Wolf. But as
1t was she tried to lure KaZan more
and more TO the cabin, and slowly she
won.
At last the great day anne eight
days after the fight on the Sun Rock
Kazan had taken Gray Wolf 10 a wood
ed point on the river We days before,
and there he had left her the preceding
night when he went to the cabin. This
time a stout babiche thong was tied
to the collar round his neck. and he
vas fastened to a staple in the log
wall. Joan and her husband were up
before it was light next day. The
was Just rising when they all went out,
the man carrying the baby, and Joan
leading him. Joan turned and locked
the cabin door, and kaZan heard a sob
in her throat as they followed h man
down to the river. The big canoe was
packed and waiting. Joan got in first,
with the baby. Then, still holding the
babiche thong, she drew Kazan up
close TO her, so that he lay with his
weight against her.
The sun fell warmly on Kazan's
back as they showed off, and he closed
his eyes, and rested his head on Joan's
lap. Her hand fell softly on his shout
der. He heard again that sound which
the man could not hear, the broken sob
in her throat, as the canoe moved slow
ly down to the wooded point.
Joan waved her hand back at the
cabin, just disappearing behind the