Owingsville outlook., 1921-06-16
CHAPTER III-contInued.

fallen TIMBER that might nave torn TIE
web Of his snow shoes 10 shreds. Be
cause he shut out all thought Of IL. he
had no feeling Of fatigue. The fight
with Cranston had been frlghtful
strain on muscle and nerve; but he
scarcely remembered Il now. His
whole purpose was TO return 10 Snow
bird before the wolves lost the last of
their cowardice.
The jerked veni-on that he had
munched had brought him back much
Of his strength. He WIS wholly uncon-
scious Of his heavy pack. Never did
he glide 81 swiftly, 81 softly. with
such unerring step; and II was moth
ing more or less than a perfect expires
sion Of the irOn-clad control that his
steel nerves had over his muscles.
Then. through the silence, he heard
the shout Of the PACK as the wolf had
leaped at SnOwbIrd. He knew what IL
meant. The wolves were attacking
then, and a great food Of black. hating
bitterness poured over him at the
thought he had been too late. II had
all been In vain, and before the thought
could fully go home. he heard the dim.
far-off crack Of pistol.
Was that the first Of the three shots.
the one she might eXpend on the
wolves, or had the first two already
been spent and was she taking the last
gateway Of escape? Perhaps even now
LennoN WAS lying still on the sled, and
she was standing before the ruin Of
her fire. praying that her soul migi{
have wings. He shouted with all the
power of his lungs across the snow.
But SnOwbird only heard the soft
glide Of the wolves I'm the snow. The
wind WAS blowing toward Dan; and
while he had heard the loud chorus Of
the pack. one Of the most far-carrying
cries. and the penetrating crack of a
pistol. she couldn't hear his answering
shout. In fact, the wilderness seemed
preternaturally still. All was breath
less. heavy with suspense. and she
stood. just as Dan had thought, be-
tween the ruin Of her fire and the sled,
and she looked with straight eyes to
the oncOming wolves.
Hurry. SnOwbird," Lennox was
whispering. Give me the pistol-fOr
that last work We have only a mo-
ment more"
He looked very calm and brave. half
raised as he was on the sled. and per-
haps a half-smile fingered AT his beard
ed lips. And the bravest thing of all
was that TO spare her. he was willing
10 take the little weapon from her
hand to use IL In its last service. She
tried 10 smile at him, then crept over
TO his side.
The strain was over. They knew
what they had TO face. She put the
pistol In his steady hand
His hand lowered Ia his side and he
sat waiting. The moments passed. The
wolves seemed 10 be waiting. too, for
the last Pickering tongue Of the little
fire to die away. The last of her fuel
was ignited and burning out; they
were crouched and ready TO spring IL
she should venture forth after more.
The darkness closed down deeper. and
at last only a column of smoke re-
mained.
II was nothing TO be afraid of. The
great. gray leader of the pack. a wolf
that weighed nearly 100 pounds, be-
gan slowly and deliberately 10 set his
muscles for the spring. II was the
same as when the great bull elk Genes
10 bay at the base Of the cliffs; usual
ly some one wolf. often the great pack
leader, wishing TO remind his followers
OF his might. or else some full-grown
male proud in his strength, will attack
alone. Because this was the nOblest
game that the pack had ever faced.
himself II was true that these two
had neither such horns nor razor
edged hOOfs as the elk, yet they had
eyes that chilled his heart when he
tried 10 look at them. But one was
lying almost prone, and the fire was
out. Besides, the madness of starva-
tion. intensified ten times by their ter
rible realization of the wound ut her
hip. was upon the pack as never be-
fore. The muscles punched at his
lean flanks.
But as Snowbird and her father
gazed at him in fascinated horror. the
great wolf suddenly smashed down in
the snow. She was aware of fits curl
Gus, utter collapse actually before the
sound of the rifle shot that occasioned
IL had penetrated her Consciousness.
II was a perfect shot at long range !;
and for a long instant her tortured
faculties refused 10 accept the truth.
Then the rife spoke again, and a sec
ond woif-a large male that crouched
On fhe other side OF the sled-fell kick
ing in the snow. The pack had leaped
forward at the first death: but they
halted at the second. And then ter
ror came 10 them when the third wolf
suddenly opened its savage lips and
screamed in the DEAN agony.
Up TO this time. except for the re-
port Of the rife, the attack had been
made I'm uCter silence. The reason was
Just that both breath and nervous
force are needed TO shout; and Dan
Failing could afford to waste neither
Of these vital forces. He had dropped
10 his knee, and was nrlng again and
again, his gray eyes looking clear and
straight along the barrel, his fingers
without jerk or tremor pressing again
and again at the trigger. his hands
holding the rife as in a wise. Every
nerve and muscle were completely In
his command. The distance was far.
yet he shot with deadly, amazing ac-
curacy. The wolves were within a few
feet of the girl, and fractions waver
In the gun barrel might have sped his
bullet toward her.
ITS Dan Failing" Lennox shouted
as the fourth wolf died.
Then Snowbird snatched her pistol
from her fathers hand and opened fire
The two shells were no longer needed