Charlevoix county herald., 1920-12-31
&C o ntin u e d.

Some living creature was trotting
along on the trail behind, keeping ap-
proximately the same distance be-
tween them.
Foregoing any attempt to ignore H,
she set her cool young mind to think
ing what manner Of beast II might be.
its step was not greatly different from
that Of a large dog-except possibly a
dog would have made slightly more
noise. Yet she couldn't even be sure
of this basic premise. because this
animal, whatever II might be. had at
first seemingly moved with utmost
caution, but now took less care with
fits step than is customary with the
wild denizens of the woods. A wolf,
for instance. can simply drift when II
wishes, and the silence Of cougar Is
q name. Yet unless her pursuer were
a dog, which seemed entirely unlikely,
II was certainly one Of these two. She
the step was that of Old Wolf the
bear. suddenly curious as to what this
dim light of hers might be: but she
couldn't bring herself to accept the
lie. Woof. except when wounded or
cornered. Is the most amiable crea-
ture In the Oregon woods. and II
would give her almost sense Of Sc
curity to have him waddlng along
behind her. The wolves and cougar.
remembering the arms of WOOf, would
not be nearly so curious. But unfor.
tunately, the black bear had never
done such a thing In the memory Of
man, and II he had, he would have
made six times as much noise. he
can 60 fairly softly when he Is stalk
ing, but when he is obliged to trot-
as he would be obliged to do Ia keep
up with a swift-walking human figure
he cracks twigs like rolling log.
She had the impression that the AMI
spairing sob caught at her throat. She
heard the steps again, and they were
In the thickets just beside her.
Two hours before Snowbird had left
the house, on her long tramp to the
He hadn't shot until sunset. as he had
planned.
He rode one of Lennox's cattle
ponies, the only piece of horse-flesh
that Bill had not taken to the valleys
when he had driven down the live
stock She was a pretty bay, a spir-
tied, high-bred mare that could whip
about on her hind legs at the touch of
the rein on her neck. She made good
time along the trail. And an hour be-
fore sunset he passed the only human
habitation between the marsh and
Lennox's house-the cabin that had
been recently occupied by Landy Hill
dreth.
He glanced at the place as he
passed and saw that II was deserted.
No smell of wood smoke remained In
the air. Evidently I.andy had gone
down to the settlements with his
precious testimony In regard to the
arson ring. Yet II was curious that
no word had been heard of him. AS
far as Dan knew. neither the courts
nor the forest service had taken ac-
ton.
He hurried on, four miles farther.
The trail entered the heavy thickets.
and he had to ride slowly. II was as
wild q section as could he found on
the whole Divide. And just as he
came to little cleared space. three
strange. dark birds flung up on wide
spreading wings.
He knew them at once All noun.
taineers come to know them before
their days are done. They were the
NAL behind had been passing like
smoke at first. but wasn't taking the
trouble to do II now.
The sound was soft pat-pat on the
trail-sometimes entirely obllterated
but always recurring when she began
to believe that she had only fancied
Its presence. Sometimes q twig. rain
soaked though II was. cracked beneath
heavy foot, and again and again
she heard the brush crushing and
rustling as something passed through.
Sometimes. when the trail was GOV.
cred with soft pine needles, II was
practically lndlstingulshable.
The animal was approximately one
hundred feet behind. II wasn't a wolf.
she thought. The wolves ran In packs
this season, and except in winter were
more afraid Of human beings than any
other living creature. II wasn't lynx
--one Of those curiosity-devoured lit
tie fellnes that will new all day on q
trail and never dare come near. II
was much too large for a lynx. The
feet fell too solidly. There were no
dogs In the mountains to follow at
heel; and she had no desire whatever
to meet Shag. the faithful hybrid that
used TO be her guardian in the hills.
For Shag had gone to his well-de-
served rest several seasons before.
Two other possibilities remained. One
was that this follower was human
being, the other that II was cougar.
Ordinarily a human being is much
more potentially dangerous to wom-
IN In the hills nj night than cougar
A cougar is an abject coward and
some men are not. But Snowbird felt