The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1917-11-22

cred with the electric energy Of life
and action. He Travelled north and
west. It was the call Of early days
the days away up on the Mackenzie.
The Mackenzie was thousand miles
away.
He came upon many trails In the
snow that day, and shifted the scents
left by the hOOfs Of moose and caribou.
and the fur-padded feet OF lynx. He
followed fox. and the trail led him to
n place shut In by tall spruce, where
the snow was beaten down and red
dened with blood. There was an owls
head, feathers, wings and entrnils lying
here, and he knew that there We're
other hunters abroad besides himself.
Toward evening he came upon tracks
in the snow that were very much like
his own. They were quite fresh, and
there was warm scent about them
that made him whine, and filled him
again with that desire to fall back up
on his launches and send forth the
wolf-cry. This desire grew stronger
in him as the shadows Of night deep
ened In the forest. He had Travelled
all day, but he was not tired. There
was something about night, now that
there were no men near, that exhllardt-
ed him strangely. The wolf blood in
him run swifter and swifter. Tonight
1t was clenr. The sky wns filled with
stars. The moon rose. And ut last
he settled back in the snow and turned
mis- head straight up to the spruce tops.
md the wolf came out Of him In n long
mournful cry which quivered through
the still night for miles.
For II long tune he sat and listened
after that howl. He Ind found voice
voice with strange new note In it,
and 1t gave him still greater confidence
He had expected an answer, but none
came. He had Travelled in the face OF
the wind, and as he howled, bull
moose crashed through the scrub tim
Der ahead OF him, his horns rafting
against the trees like the tattoo of n
clear birch club as he put distance be-
tween himself and that cry.
Twice Knzan howlcd before he went
on, and he found JOY in the practice of
that new note. He came then to the
foot of rough ridge. and turned up
out Of the swamp to the top of it. The
stnrs and the moon were nearer to him
there. md on the other side of the
ridge he looked down upon great
sweeping plain, with frozen lake gIis-
tening In the moonlight. and white
river leading from II on into timber
that was neither so thick nor SO black
MS that in the swamp.
And then every muscle in his body
grew tense. and his blood lenpcd. From
far OFF in the plain there came n cry.
1t was his cry-the wolf-cry. His Jaws
snapped. His white fanss cleaned.
and he growlcd deep In his throat. He
wanted TO reply but some strange in
stinct urged him not to. That instinct
Of the wild was already becoming mas
ter OF him. In the air, in the whisper
Ing OF the spruce tops. in the moon and
the stars themselves. there brcnthed
n spirit which told him That what he
Ind heard was the wolf-cry. but that 1t
was not the wolf call.
The other came nm hour later, clear
md distinct. that same wniling howl Mt
the bc.inning-but ending In n staccnto
Of quick sharp yelps TINT stirred his
blood ut once into u fiery excitement
that 1t had never known before. The
same instinct told him that this WINS
the call-the hunt-cry. 1t urged him to
come quickly. A few moments later II
came agnIn. and this time there WINS
reply from close down along the foot
Of the ridge. and another from SO fnr
AWAY that Knzan could scarcely hear
it. The hunt.pack was gathering for
the night chase; but kazan sat quiet
and trembling.
He WINS not afraid. hut he was not
ready to go. The ridge seemed to split
the world for him. Down there It was
new. and strange, and without men.
From the other side something seemed
pulling him back. ind suddenly he
turned his hend and gnzcd back
through the moonllt space behind him.
and whined. II was the dog-whne now.
The woman was back there. He could
hear her voice. lie could feel the
touch OF her soft hand. He could see
the laughter In her face and eyes. the
laughter that lad made him warm nnd
happy. She wss calling to him through
the forests, and he was torn between
desire to answer that call. and desire
to go down Into the plain. For he
could also see many men waiting for
him with clubs. md he could hear the
crnckIng Of whips. ind feel the sting OF
their lashcs.
For long time he remained on the
top OF the ridge that divided his world.
And then. Mt last. he turned and went
down into the plain.
CHAPTER v.
Leader 81 the Pack