Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-07-30
CHAPTER ll-continued.

y
back to his traces and drew the sled
100 yards farther. He didn't seem to
see the gaunt wolf that backed off
INTO the shadows as he approached
lie refused to notice that the pack
seemed TO be steadily growing bOlder.
Human hunters usually had guns that
could blast aud des roy from q dis
.auce; but even an animal intelH-
gence could perceive that these three
seemed to be without this means of
lndicting death.
A wolf is ever so much more intelli-
gent than crOw-yet a crow shows
little fear Of an unarmed man and is
wholly unaporoachable by a boy with
q gun. The Ugly truth was simply that
In their increasing madness and ex-
element and hunger, they We're becom-
ing less and less fearful of these three
strange humans with the sled
1t was not a good place for a camp.
They worked long time before they
cleared a little patch of ground of its
snow mantle. Dan cut a number Of
saplings-laboriousl with his ax-and
built a fire with the comparatively
dry core of a dead tree. True, it was
feeble and pickering, but as good as
could be hoped for, considering the
difficulties under which he worked.
The dead logs under the snow were
soaked with water from the rains and
thaws The green wood that he cut
smoked without blazing.
NO more time TO be lost" Dan told
Snowbird. ut lies in your hands to
keep the fire burning. And don't leave
the circle of the fire light without
that pistol in your hand"
you don't mean," she asked, unbe-
lieying, that you are going to go out
there to fight Cranston-unarmed? ?"
"Of course, Snowbird. You must
Keep the pistol"
But it means death; that's all It
means. What chance would you have
against a man with a rifle? And as
sOOn as you get away from this fire,
she wolves win tear you to pieces"
"And what would you and your IA
Their do, if ! took It? You can't get
him into a tree. You can't build a
big enough fire to brighten them
Please don't even talk about this mat
ter Snowbird Ny minds made up. l
think the pack viii stay here. They
uSually-God knows how-know who
SIS helpless and who isn't. Maybe with
The gun, you will be able to save your
lives"
What's the chance of that|
You mght-with one cartridge
Rijl one of the devils and the others
but you know how they devour their
own dead That might break their
famine enough so that they'd hold off
until l can get back. That's the prize
I'm playing for"
And what if you don't get back?"
He took her hand in one of his, and
with the other he caressed. for a sin
ale moment, the lovely flesh Of her
throat The love he had for her spoke
from his eyes-sueh speech as no hu-
man vision could possibly mistake.
Both of them were tingling and breath
Tess with a great. sweet wonder.
Never let those fangs tear that
sofness, while you live" he told here
gently. "Neyer let that brave old man
on the sled 90 to his death with the
pack tearing at him. Cheat 'em,
eaowbird! Beat 'em the last minute,
If 10 other way remains! Show EN-
who's boss, after all-of all this for
est"
You mean" Her eyes widened
u mean that you must only spend
one Of those three shells in fighting
orr the wolves. Save that till the mo-
ment you need it most. The other
TWO must be saved-for something
else"
She nodded, shuddering an instant
al menacing shadow that moved
within 60 feet Of the fire.
Then goodby, DAM" she told him.
An3 she stretched up her arms. The
thing said-that day on the hillside
doesn't hold any more.
His own arms encircled her, but he
made no effort to claim her lips. Len
AaE watched them quietly; in this
moment Of crisis not even pretending
q look away. Dan shook his head to
Le5 e1treating eyes. at isn't just
A.ss darling" he told her soberly. 1T
srs deeper than that. It's a symbol
x vas Your word, too, and mine: and
words can't be broken, things being as
-eg are. Cant I make you under
s-sudy
She nodded. His eyes burned. Per
aas she didn't understand. as far as
81 fuactioning of the brain was
4 ST araed But she reached up to
"@ rs mountaineering life in the
concrete rather than the abstract
gave always reached up to men; and
lulg caught the CLEAN Of some
lei nrinrtple and right behind his
This strong man Of the moqn-
lad given his word. had been
- 20 her own promise to him
a r herself and law that goes
q the roots Of life prevented
"on claiming the kiss.
times. since the world IVES
eonforr-happIness-Iife itself
save been nnrtgs,- -s,+ ~, 4r,, t4-s.