Gilpin observer., 1918-01-10

clean running trail. 1t was more OF
a furrow in the snow, and Pierre Rad
isson followed it, expecting to find the
dog dead at the end Of 1t.
In the sheltered spot to which he had
dragged himself in the edge of the for
est Kazan lay for long time after
the fight, alert and watchful. He felt
no very great pain. But he had lost
the power to stand upon his legs. His
flanks seemed paralyzed. Gray Wolf
crouched close at his side. shifting the
air. They could smell the camp, and
Kazan could detect the two things that
were there-man and woman. He knew
that the girl was there, where he could
see the glow Of the freight through
the spruce and the cedars. He wanted
to 60 to her. He wanted to drag him
self close in to the fire, and take Gray
Wolf with him, and listen to her voice,
and feel the touch of her hand. But
had always meant the club, the whip,
pain, death.
Gray Wolf crouched close to his
side, and whined softly as she urged
Kazan to flee deeper with her into the
forest. At last She understood that he
could not move, and she ran nervously
out into the plain, and back again, un-
til her footprints were thick in the
trail she made. The instincts of mate
hood were strong in her. It was she
who first saw Pierre Radisson COM
ing over their trait, and she ran swift
ly back to Kazan and gave the warn
Ing.
Then KaZan 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
the rifle in his hand. He heard his
hollow cough, and the tread of his feet
in the snow. Gray Wolf crouched
shoulder to shoulder with him, trem-
bling and showing her teeth. When
Pierre had approached within fifty feet
Of them she skunk back into the deeper
shadows of the spruce.
Kazan'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
back into the snow again. The man
leaned his rifle against sapling and
bent over him fearlessly. With fierce
growl Kazan snapped at his extended
hands. To his surprise the man did
not pick up stick or club. He held
out his hand again-cautiously-
spoke in 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 1t, 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 flattened. 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 stiffly planted forefeet at his side.
She had never been this near to man
before, except when the pack had over
taken the sledge out 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
beasts, the storms, the floods cold and
starvation. And yet this man had not
harmed her mate. She shifted at Ka-
Zan's back and head, where the init.
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 woman. The
man stood prepared, but not threaten
ing.
"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
old light in her eyes and face now, the
love and gentleness he had known once
before, when another.woman with shin.
ing hair and eyes had come into his life.
"Come |" she whispered us she saw him
move, and she bent little, reached
little farther with her hand, and at last
touched his head.