Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-03-15

autOmatic-"T know how 10 use this."
He pointed to a knot In the wall Of
the cabin. Observe" he said. Five
times he fred at 20 PAGES, and when
Sandy went up to look at the knot he
gave a gasp. There was one jagged
hole where the knot had been.
Pretty good" he q d. Most
men couldn't do bettei lat with a
rifle"
When Sandy left, McGM followed
him with suspicious CLEAN In his
eyes, and a curious smile on his lips.
Then he turned to Kazan.
"Guess you've got him figgered out
about right, old man." ne laughed soft
~. II don't blame you very much for
wanting to get him by the throat. Per-
haps-"
He showed his hands deep In his
pockets, and went into the cabin. Ka-
zan dropped his head between his
forepaws, and lay still, with wide-open
eyes. 1t was late afternoon, early in
September, and each night brought
now the first chill breaths Of autumn.
kazan watched the last glow Of the
sun as 1t faded out Of the southern
skies. Darkness always followed
swiftly after that, and with darkness
came more fiercely his wild longing
for freedom. Night after night he had
gnawed at his steel chain. Night after
night he had watched the stars, and
the moon, and had listened for Gray
VOLTS call, while the big Dane lay
sleeping.
Tonight II was colder than usual,
and the keen tang of the wind that
came fresh from the west stirred him
strangely. 1t set his blood afire with
what the Indians call the Frost Hunger.
Lethargic summer was gone and the
days and nights of hunting were at
hand. He wanted to leap out into free
dom and run until he was exhausted,
with Gray Wolf at his side. He knew
that Gray Wolf was of there-where
the stars hung low In the clear sky,
and that she was waiting. He strain
ed at the end of his chain, and whined.
All that night he was restless-mOre
restless than he had been at any time
before. Once, in the far distance, he
heard cry that he thought was the
cry Of Gray Wolf, and his answer
reused McGin from deep sleep. 1t
was dawn, and the little professor
dressed himself and came out of the
cabin. With satisfaction he noted the
exhilarating snap in the air. He wet
his fingers and held them above his
head, chuckling when he found the
wind had swung into the north. He
went to Kazan, and talked to him.
Among other things he said, '"This'l
put the black flies to sleep, Kazan. A
day or two more Of 1t and we'll start"
Five days later McGin led first the
Dane, and then Kazan, to a packed
canoe. Sandy McTrigger saw them of,
and Kazan watched for a chance to
leap at him. Sandy kept his distance,
and McGill watched the two with a
thought that set the blood running
swiftly behind the mask of his care
less smile. They had slipped a mile
downstream when he leaned over and
laid fearless hand on Kazan's head.
Something in the touch Of that hand,
and in the professors voice, kept Ka-
IAN from a desire to snap at him. He
tolerated the friendship with express
sionless eyes and a motionless body.
II was beginning to fear l wouldn't
have much sleep, old boy" chuckled
McGill ambiguously, 'but l guess I
can take nap now and then with you
along!"
He made camp that night fifteen
miles up the lake shore. The big
Dane he fastened to a sapling 20 yards
from his small silk tent, but Kazan's
chain he made fast to the butt Of a
stunted birch that held down the tent
flap. Before he went into the tent for
the night McGill pulled out his auto
matte and examined it with care.
For three days the journey con-
onued without a mishap along the
shore Of Lake Athabasca. On the
fourth night McGil pitched his tent
In a clump Of banskian pine hundred
yards back from the water. All that
day the wind had come steadily from
behind them, and for at least q half
Of the day the professor had been
watching Kazan closely. From the
west there had now and then come q
scent that stirred him uneasily. Since
noon he had shifted that wind. Twice
AcGin had heard him growing deep
In his throat, and once, when the
scent had come stronger than usual,
he had barred his fangs, and the bris-
ties stood up along his spine.
For an hour after striking camp the
little professor did not build q FIRE.
but sat looking up the shore of the
lake through his hunting glass. 1t
was dusk when he returned to where
he had put up his tent and chained
the dogs. For a few moments he
stood unobserved. looking at the wolf
dog. Kazan was still uneasy. He lat
facing the west. McGill made note Of
this, for the big Dane lay behind Ka- ,
zan-to the east. Under ordinary con-
ditions Kazan would have faced him.