The state herald., 1921-01-14
BOOK TWO-THE DEBT.

CHAPTER I.-Dan, now thoroughly
proficient In woods lore, learns from Lon
nox that an organized band OF outlaws.
pf which Bert cranston Is the leader. Is
making trouble In the vicinity. Landry
Hildreth. former member OF the gang.
has been induced TO turn states evidence.
On his way TO the city Hildreth Is way
laid by Cranston. shot. and left for dead.
Cranston, however. overlooked the fact
that Hildreth might have documentary
evidence on his person. and Is satisfied
that his enemy will never reach tho city
to tell what he kn,vs Of the operations
Of the gang.
sr~
CHAPTER ia cougar. on a personal
hunting expedition. finds Hildrsth In
thicket. where he had crawled after be-
ing shot by Crnnston. The cougar I'm
ishes Cranston's work. and In striking
down man becomes . forest outlaw
Falling. on his way home from visit
TO 'snowbird's" lookout station. comes
upon cranston In the act Of starting n
forest fire The men quarrel and night
Failing is no match for the sturdy noun
tAineer and Is saved from death only BY
the Intervention Of ''Snowbird." who
drives the outlaw from his victim by
threatening him with a revolver.
CHAPTER in.-Cranston grossly insults
the girl. Failing promises her he will
punish him when he has fully recovered
his strength. and the Kirl looks on the
promise as Q compact. A few days later
eilas Lennox. while choppinE wood In tho
forest, Ia pinned under falling branch
and badly hurt ''snowbird', nnds her
father and gets him safely to the hot sc
and TO bed.
CHAPTER Iv.-The girl sets out across
the Divide. In the darkness. to bring .
physician. She has q sense that she ID
being stAlked by some animal. end be-
comes uneasy. Dan. who had been shoot.
Ing. arrives home and nads L<nnox. Both
Lennox and Dan fear for ''snowbird's
safety. and Dan at once sets out to over,
take her. The animal stalking the girl Ia
the cougar which had finished Hiidrc,h
now become q hunter Of man. Failing
arrives only Just In time to save the siri's
life. and In that manner pays part OF ths
debt he owes her. As evidence OF DAN,
returning strength he stfAngleH the AMI.
NAL. which. though wounded by u revolver
sho, from "snowbird's" weapon. was .
most formidable enemy.
Though the Tear WAS mostly gone.
the cougar retained enough OF that
caution that most Wild animals ex.
hiblt when hunting new game so
that he didn't ntie,apt to strike Snow.
bird down at once. But ms the chase
went on, his passion grew upon him,
Ever he crcpt nearer. And al last he
sprang full into the thlcke,s beside
her.
Al that instant she had shot for the
FIRST tine. Bocausc the ligh, had left
his eyes before she could Ind aim
both shots had been clean misses. And
terrible as the reports were, he was
too engrosscd In the chase 10 bs
frightened away by mere sound. This
was the cry the man.pack always
mnde-thcse .nddcn. startling sounds
In the silence. But he felt no palm
He crouchcd = moment. shivering
Then he bounded on again.
The third shot was q mio too: In
fact. there had been % e1ancs for {
Ait. 4 sound In The dartnaao b q
onrsliable q target % caa possibly b
loasined. And Il dida't nisAtsa hin
- much ~ the othsrs. Ne waited
ereuching. and the girl started On.
Bhe was making other Sounds now-
queer. whimperiDg sounds not grenti,
different from the blcat that the fswr
uttcrs when II dies, !, was fear
sound. and II there Is one emotion
with which the Wild beasts are ac
qunintcd, In all IFS phases, II Is fcnr
shc was nfrnid Of him. then. and thai
meant he need no longer be In ih'
lcnst afrnid of her. His skin begnn tc
twitch nil over with that terrible mad
ness and passion Of the f,csh.huntcrs