Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-11-16
CHAPTER discontinued.


B.
Later after Thorpe and his wife
had gone into their tent, it began to
snow, and the effect of the snow upon
McCready puzzled Kazan. The man
was restless, and he drank frequently
from the flask that he had used the
night before. In the freight his face
grew redder and redder, and Kazan
could see the strange CLEAN of his
teeth as he gazed at the tent in which
his mistress was sleeping. Again and
again he went close to that tent, and
listened. Twice he heard movement.
The last time, it was the sound of
Thorpe's deep breathing. McCready
hurried back to the fire and turned his
face straight up to the sky. The snow
was falling SO thickly that when he
lowered his face he blinked and wiped
his eyes. Then he went into the gloom
and bent low over the trail they had
made few hours before. 1t was al
most obliterated by the falling snow.
Another hour and there would be no
trail-nothing the next day to tell who
ever might pass that they had come
this way. By morning 1t would cover
everything, even the fire, If he allowed
1t to die down. McCready drank again,
out in the darkness. Low words Of an
insane JOY burst from his lips. His
head was hot with drunken fire. His
heart beat madly, but scarcely more
furiously than did Kazan's when the
dog saw that McCready was returning
with a club! The club he placed on
end against a tree. Then he took
lantern from the sledge and lighted 1t.
He approached Tnorpe's tent-flap, the
lantern in his hand.
"Ho, Thorpe-Thorpe! !" he called.
There was no answer. He could hear
Thorpe breathing. He drew the flap
aside little, and raised his voice.
"Thorpe!''
Still there was no movement inside,
and he united the flap strings and
thrust in his lantern. The light flashed
on Isobel's golden head, and McCready
stared at it, his eyes burning like red
Goals, until he saw that Thorpe was
awakening. Quickly he dropped the
flap and rustled 1t from the outside.
"Ho, Thorpe-Thorpe he called
again.
This time Thorpe replied.
'Hello, McCready-is that your"
McCready drew the flap back lit
tie, and spoke in low voice.
Eyes. Can you come out a minute?
Something's happening out in the
woods. Don't wake up your wife!"
He drew back and waited. A minute
later Thorpe came quietly out Of the
tent McCready pointed into the thick
spruce.
"I'll swear there's someone nosing
around the camp" he said. I'm GER
tain that saw a man out there few
minutes ago, when I went for log.
It's good night for stealing dogs.
Here-you take the lantern! II /
wasn't clean fooled, wen find trail
In the snow
picked up the heavy club. A growl rose
In Kazan's throat, but he choked 1t
back. He wanted to snarl forth his
warning, to leap at the end of his
leash, but he knew that IL he did that,
they would return and beat him. So
he lay still, trembling and shivering
and whining softly. He watched them
until they disappeared-and then wait
ed-listened. At last he heard the
crunch Of snow. He was not surprised
to see McCready come back alone. He
had expected him to return alone. For
he knew what club meant!
McCready's face was terrible now. 1t
was like a beasts. He was hatless.
kazan skunk deeper in his shadow at
the low horrible laugh that fell from
his lips-for the man still held the
club. In a moment he dropped that,
and approached the tent. He drew back
the flap and peered in. Thorpe's wife
was sleeping, and as quietly as cat
he entered and hung the lantern on a
nail in the tent-pole. His movement
did not awaken her, and for few mo-
ments he stood there, staring-staring.
Kazan watched McCready as he en-
tered, and suddenly the dog was on his
feet, his back tense and bristling. his
limbs rigid. He saw McCready's huge
shadow on the canvas, and a moment
later there came strange piercing cry.
In the wild terror Of that cry he reeog-
nized her voice-and he leaped toward
the tent. The leash stopped him,
choking the snarl in his throat. He saw
the shadows struggling now, and there
came cry after cry She was calling to
his master, and with his masters name
she was calling him!
"Kaxan-KaZan-"
He lcaped again, and was thrown up