The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-12-02

note which men have learned to ex-
pect In the voices of women. And an
instant later the three Of them saw
her retreating shadow as she vanished
among the pines.
Dan had to be helped to bed. The
long ride had been too hard on his
shattered lungs; and nerves and body
collapsed an instant after the door
was closed behind the departing girl.
He laughed weakly and begged their
/ pardon; and the two men were really
very gentle. They told him 1t was
their own fault for permitting him to
overdo. Lennox himself blew out the
candle In the big, cold bedroom
Dan saw the door close behind him,
and he had an instant's glimpse Of the
long sweep of moonlit ridge that
stretched beneath the window. Then.
all at once. seemingly without warn
ing, 1t simply blinked out. Not until
the next morning did he really know
why. Insomnia was an old acquaint-
ance of Dams. and he had expected to
have some trouble in getting to sleep.
His only real trouble was waking up
again when Lennox called him to
breakfast He couldn't believe that
| the light at his window shade was
really that of morning.
Good Heavens - his host exploded.
You sleep the sleep of the just"
Dan was about to tell him that on
the contrary he was a very nervous
sleeper. but he thought better of it
Something had surely happened to his
inc .ha ~
forgot to wonder about 1t in the reali-
zation that his tired body had been
wonderfully refreshed. He had no
dread now of the long tramp up the
ridge that his host had planned.
But first came target practice. In
Dams baggage he had certain very
plain but serviceable sporting rifle of
about thirty-forty caliber-a gun that
the Information department Of the
large sporting-goods store In Gitche-
apOlis had recommended for his pur-
pose. Except for the few moments in
the store. Dan had never held rifle
in his hands. The first shot he hit the
trunk Of a five-foot pine at thirty
paces.
"But l couldn't very well have
missed itT he replied to Lennox's
cheer. "You see. I aimed at the mid
debut just grazed the edge"
The second shot was not SO good,
missing the tree altogether. And II
Was singular thing that he aimed
longer and tried harder on this shot
than on the first. The third time he
tried still harder. and made BY far
the worst shot Of all. .
| "What's the matterf" he demanded.
I'm getting worse all the time"
Lennox didn't know for sure. But
he made a long guess. ut might be
beginners luck." he said. "but I'm In
clined TO think you're trying too hard.
Take II easier-depend more on your
Instincts"
Dams reply was to lift the rine
lightly to his shoulder. glance quickly
along the trigger and nre. The bullet
struck within one inch Of the center
Of the pine.
For a long second Lennon gaxed at
him in open-mouthed establishment.
my stars. boyi" ne cried at last.
WAS I mistaken In thinking you were
born tenderfoot-after allf Can II
be that little Of your old grandfa-
ther's skill has been passed down to
your But you can't do 1t again."
But Dan did do II again. If any
thing, the bullet was a little nearer
the center. And then. he aimed at a
more distant tree.
But the hammer snapped down In
effectively on the breech. He turned
with look of question.
"Your gun only holds FIVE shots"
Lennox explained. Reloadlnx. Dan
/ tried more difficult target-a trunk
almost one hundred yards distant. OF
course 1t would have been only child's
play TO an experienced hunter; but
10 n tenderfoot 1t was n difficult
mark indeed. Twice out of four shots
| Dan hit the tree trunk. and one of his
two hits was practically bull's-eye.
His two misses were the result of the
same mistake he had made before
attempting TO hold his aim too long.
Dan and Lennox started together
up the long slope of the ridge. Dan
alone armed: Lennox went with him
| solely as guide. The deer season had
lust opened. and It might be that Dan
would want TO procure one Of these
rrcnturcs.
'I,m I'm not sure I want TO hunt
icer" Dan told him. "You speak of
hem ms being so beautiful"
They ARE beautiful and your
grandfather would never hunt them.
either. except for meat. But maybe
you'li change your mind when you see
n hnck. Besides. We might run into a
lynx or panther. But not very like
" without dogs"
They frudged up. over the carpet of