The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-08-09

out into the plain, ana BACK again, IN
, iii her footprints were thick in the
trail She made. The instincts of mate
hood were strong In her. 1t was she
who first saw Pierre RadissOn com
ing over their trail. and she ran swift
~ back 10 kazan and gave the warn
Ing.
Then kaaan caught the scent. and
he saw the ShAdowy figure coming
through the starlight. He tried to
drag himself back. but he could move
only by inches. The man came rapidly
nearer. kaZan caught the glisten of
,Ae rifle in his hand. He heard his
hollow cough, and the tread Of his feet
In the snow. Gray Wolf crouched
shoulder 10 shoulder with him, trem-
bling and showing her teeth. When
Pierre had approached within fifty feet
II them she skunk back into the deeper
shadows of the spruce.
Kazau's fangs were barred menacing-
ly when Pierre stopped and looked
down at him. With an effort he
dragged himself To his feet, but fell
bh'h Aiitb ilf GhON ASdlu' iibii
leaned his rifle against a sapling and
bent over him fearleSSly. With a fierce
growl Kazan snapped at his extended
hands. To his surprise the man did
not pick VI "a stick or a club. He held
out his hand again-cautiously-and
spoke lii a voice new to Kazan. The
dog snapped again. and growled.
The man persisted, talking TO him
all the time, and once his mittened
hand touched Kazan's head, and es-
capped before the jaws could reach it.
Again and again the man reached out
his hand. and three times Kazan felt
the touch Of it, and there was neither
threat nor hurt In 1t. At last Pierre
turned away and went back over the
trail.
When he was out Of sight and hear
ing, Kazan whined, and the crest along
his spine fiattened. He looked visit
fully toward the glow Of the fire. The
man had not hurt him, and the three
quarters of him that was dog wanted
to follow.
Gray Wolf came back, and stood
with stifiy planted forefeet at his side.
She had never been this near to a
before, except when the pack had over
taken the sledge put on the plain. She
could not understand. Every instinct
that was In her warned her that he
was the most dangerous Of all things,
more to be feared than the strongest
haostS fhn qtnrmC fhA AnnhS pal1 onA
starvation. And yet his man had not
harmed her mate. She shifted at Ka-
Ean's back and head, where the NIT
tened hand had touched. Then she
trotted back into the darkness again,
for beyond the edge Of the forest she
once more saw moving life.
The man was returning, and with
him was the girl. Her voice was soft
and sweet, and there was about her the
breath and sweetness OF oma The
man stood prepared, but not threaten
lng.
BE careful, Joan" he warned.
She dropped on her knees In the
snow, just out Of reach.
"Come, boy-come !" she said gently.
She held out her hand. Kazan's mus
cles twitched. He moved an inch
two inches toward her. There was the
Did light in her eyes and face now, the
love and gentleness he had known once
before, when another woman with shin
ng nair and eyes had come into his life.
Come! !" she whispered as she saw him
move, and she bent a little, reached 4
little farther with her hand, and at last
touched his head.
pierre knelt beside her. He was
proffering something, and Kazan
smelled meat. But II was the girls
hand that made him tremble and
shiver. and when she drew back. urging
him to follow her, he dragged himself
painfully q foot or two through the
Not until then did the girl see
his mangled leg. In an instant she had
forgotten all caution, and was down
close at his side.
He can't walk" she cried, a sudden
tremble In her voice. "Look, mon pere
Here Is a terrible cut. We must carry
him"
Il guessed that much" replied Rad
isson. "For that reason / brought the
|, blanket. Mon Dieu, listen to that"
From the darkness Of the forest
, there came a low wailing cry.
kazan lifted his head and q trem.
bling whine answered in his throat. II
was Gray Wolf calling to him.
r 1t was a miracle that Pierre Raids.
t son should put the blanket about Ka.
I zan, and carry him in to the camp
= without scratch or bite. 1t was this
( miracle that he achieved. with Joan's
e arm resting on Kazan's shaggy neck as
d she held n end of the blanket. They
laid him down close to the fire, and aft
" er a little 1t was the man again who
d brought warm water and washed away
h the blood from the torn leg, and ther
d put something on 1t that was soft an(
l. warm and soothing, and finally bount
v q cloth about 1t.
All this was strange and new to Ka
It Fan. Pierre's hand, as well as tn