The Meeker herald., 1918-01-12
TRUE AT THE LAST
WoIf.Dog Deserted Master, But
Still Loved Him.
Answered "caIi Of His Fathers"
Though He Proved Loyal When
Loyalty Meant Death by the
Fangs Of His Pack.

He had been called Wolf since pup
pyhood. He stood nearly forty Inches,
with small ragged, rail-like body, and
unusually long legs that ended In great,
soft, padlike feet. Jack Stern, Steve
Wormell's partner. used to say that
the dog could not turn round In their
"two-by four" cabin without knocking
over the table and chairs and seriously
endan ,ering the stove and other furni-
ture.
One evening. us Steve and Jac.; sat
playing a game Of cribbnge In their
ranger cabin, n wolf howlcd lugubrl-
ously from the mountain side. After
moment came the answer; then nm
other caught up the call, and another,
until the lonesome wnil echoed from
mountain top to mountain top.
Suddenly there came howl, nearer
and more deep-thrOated.
Stern opened the door.
"Come here. Steve!" he said, md
the ranger stepped to his side.
On small. treeless mound, not far
from the cabin, sat Wolf. He was
squatting on his launches, with his
nose pointed toward the sky, while
from his throat came cry quite I'M.
like his usual howl.
ats the call of his fathers. Steve"
said Jack. "Some day you'll hive no
dog; he'll be gone with the pack"
Steve laughed Mt the idea. He had
brought Wolf. an awkward bench-lcg-
ged puppy. out to the ranger cabin In
sack: the dog had always been filth
full and contented with his lot.
But one morning In the spring Wolf
vas missing.
At first Steve chung to the hope that
Wolf would return when the running"
season was over. He had heard of
dogs doing that. But spring merged
Into summer, and summer Into fall, yet
the dog did not come back.
Then they began to henr that Wolf
small band OF wolves, although they
never found n man who had actually
seen him.
About Christmas time, when the
snow was deeper than for many win
tiers past. providing bands of wolves be-
gan to come down near the camp.
One day Steve found that large
bull elk had been killed within mile
Of camp. Signs OF the struggle were
to be seen for hundred yards round.
Near the scattered bones OF the elk
were the disembowied remains Of two
wolves. A little further along young
cow elk had fallen beneath the fnngs
Of the mountain bandits. And Mt ench
kill Steve found II large track. twice
the size Of that made by common
wolf.
When the snow had crusted so that
It would bear up the weight of n man,
Steve threw his rife across his arm
and walked over to the breaks OF the
Grnnde Ronde. He was nearing the
broken lands when the sound of rum
ming pack came to his ears. A moment
later n small band OF wolves, perhaps
fifteen In number. burst from the tim
her. running toward him. And mt their
head ran Wolf.
The ranger forgot his danger. He
cried. "Wolf. don't you know mc?"
The sound of his voice brought the
great dog to n standstill. ind the pack
stopped with him. Nose In the mir,
sides aquiver. he stood moment:
then, with a low bny of recognition. he
sprahg toward his One-tlme master.
The pack. evidently mlstakIng their
leaders intention. likewise rushed mt
Steve. And the next instant, with his
gun dubbed, he was In the midst OF n
snarling. swapping mass Of famine
crnzed wolves.
When Jnck arrived on the scene he
found Steve sitting In the snow, with
the shaggy head of Wolf pillowed In
his lap. Around him. with their mnngy
pelts torn and bloody. lny half dozen
dead wolves.
The rangers clothing was torn to
shreds and one nrm and leg were
mass Of cuts and gashcs; but there
were tenrs In his eyes.
ale fought for me, jack" he saId.
pressing the stiffening lids over the
glazed eyes Of the dead hound. "IIe
gave his life for me. How he fought
And against his own blood. too. Yon-
der lies one of his own pups. Why
shouldn't love hlm?"-Youth's Com