The state herald., 1920-12-31


Soon It became evident that the crea-
ture was either walking with two legs,
or else was four-footed animal put
ting two feet down at the same in
slant. Dan had learned to wait. He
stood perfectly still. And gradually
ne came to the conclusion that he
was listening to the football of an
other man.
But 1t was rather hard to Imagine
what man might he doing on this
lonely hill. or course It might be
deer hunter; but few were the valley
sportsmen who had penetrated to this
far land. The football was much TOO
heavy for Snowbrd. The steps were
evidently on another trail that inter-
sected his own trail one hundred yards
farther. up the hill. He had only to
stand still. and in an instant the man
would come In sight.
He took one step into the thlckets,
prepared to conceal himself If 1t be-
came necessary. Then he waited. Soon
the man stepped out on the trail.
Even at the distance Of one hundred
yards, Dan had no difficulty whatever
in recognizing him. He could not
mistake this tall. dark form. the soiled.
slouchy clothes. the rough hair, the
intent. dark features. 1t was n man
about his own age. his own height.
but weighing fuIiy ,w.n,. l"io..-
more, and the dark. narrow eyes could
belong to no one but Bert Cranston.
He carried his rifle loosely In his arms.
He stopped at the forks In the tsail
and looked carefully In all irer,:cns
Dan nau every reason to think that
Crnnston would see him al first glance.
Only one clump OF thcket sheltered
him. But because Dan had learned
the lesson of standing still. because
his olive-drab sporting clothes blended
softly with the colored leaves, Grams
ton did not detect him. He turned
and strobe on down the trail.
He didn't move quite like man
with innocent purposes. There was
something stealthy, something sinister
In his stride. and the way he kept
such a sharp lookout In all directions.
Yet he never glanced 10 the trail for
deer tracks. MS he would have done
had he been hunting. Without even
waiting to mediate on the matter,
Dan started to shadow him.
Before one hundred yards had been
traversed he corld better understand
the joy the cougar takes in his hunt
Ing. IL wqs the same process-a eau
tious, silent advance In the trail OF
prey. He had to walk with the same
caution. he had TO take advantage of
the thickets. He began to feel a curl
Gus excitement.
Cranston seemed to be moving more
carefully now. examining the brush
along the trail. Now and then he
glanced up at the tree tops. And all
n, once he stopped and knelt in the
dry shrubbery.
At first all that Dan could see was
ihe glitter of n knife blade. Grams
ton seemed to be whiting n piece OF
dead pine into fine shavIngs. Now
he was gathering pine needles and
small twigs. making n little pile Of
them. And then. Just as Cranston
drew his match. Dan saw his purpose.
Cranston wns at his old trade-set-
ting forest fire.
For two very good reasons Dan
didn't call to him at once. The two
reasons were that Cranston had rife
and that Dan was unarmed. II might
be extremely likely that Cranston
would choose the most plausible and
effective means Of preventing an inter-
ruption Of his crlive, and BY the same
token. prevent word Of the crime ever
reaching the authorities. The rine
contained hve cartridges. and only one
was needed.
CONTINUED in next issue.)