The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-06-09

Dan mad every reason to think that
Cranston would see him at first glance.
Only one clump Of thicket 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 sharp lookout in all directions.
Yet he never glanced to the trail for
deer tracks, as 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 could better understand
the Joy the cougar takes In his hunt
ing. It was 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 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
at once he stopped and knelt in the
dry shrubbery.
At first all that Dan could see was
the glitter of knife blade. Grams
ton seemed to be whiting q piece OF
dead pine into fine shavings. Now
he was gathering pine needles and
small twigs. making little pile Of
them. And then, just as Cranston
drew his match. Dan saw his purpose.
Cranston was 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 rifle
and that Dan was unarmed. It might
be extremely likely that Cranston
would choose the most plausible and
effective means Of preventing an inter-
ruption of his crime, and by the same
token. prevent word of the crime ever
reaching the authorities. The rifle
contained five cartridges, and only one
/ was needed.
But the idea Of backing out, unseen,
never even occurred to Dan. The fire
would have tremendous Roadway be
fore he could summon help. Although
it was near the lookout station, every
condition pointed to a disastrous fire.
The brush was dry as finder. not SO
heavy as to choke the wind, but yet
tall enough to carry the fame into
the tree tops. The stiff breeze up the
ridge would certainly carry the fame
4 for miles through the parched Divide
before help could come. In the mean
time stock and lives and homes would
be endangered, besides the irreparable
loss Of timber. There were many
things that Dan might do, but giving
up was not one of them.
/ After all, he did the wisest thing Of
all. He simply came out in plain sigh
} and unconcernedly walked down thu
4 trail toward Cranston. At the same
instant, the latter struck his match.
As Dan was no longer stalking
Cranston Immediately heard his step
He whirled. recognized Dan, and fol
one long instant in which the worlt
seemed to have time in plenty to make
complete revolution, he stood per
fectly motionless. The match dared IL
his dark fingers, his eyes-full of sin
gular Onjecturing-rested on Dan!
face. No instant of the latter's Iif,
had ever been fraught with greate
peril. He understood perfectly wha
was going on in Cranston's mind TIL,
f1re-fiend was calmly deciding whethel
to shoot or whether to bluff it out
One required no more moral courag,
than the other. It really didn't max,
great deal of difference to Cranston
But he decided that the killing wa.
not worth the cartridge. The othe
course was too easy. He did not ever
dream that Dan had been shadowin,
him and had seen his intention. II,
would have laughed at the idea that
!, "tenderfoot" could thus walk benin.
! him, unheard Without concern, h,
scattered, with his foot the little heal
Of kindling. and slipping his pipe int
!, his mouth, he touched the flarin,
, match to it. It was a wholly admir-
able little piece of acting. and woul,
have deceived any one who had no
seen his previous preparations. Thel
he walked on down the trail towar,
Dan.
Continued in merit teeek's Banner