Middletown transcript., 1921-05-14
CHAPTER III-continued.

ha0 no 1eellnS OF ldllSuc. 1He ASht
with CranstOn had been frightful
strain on muscle and nerve; but he
scarcely remembered it now. His
whole purpose was to return to Snow
bird before the wolves lost the last OF
their cOwardice.
The jerked venison that he had
munched had brought him back much
of his strength. He was wholly uncon-
scious Of his heavy pack. Never dld
he glide so swiftly, so softly. with
such unerring step; and it was nOtn-
ing more or less than perfect express
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
lcaped at Snowbird. He knew what II
meant. The wolves were attacking
then, and great flood of black, hating
bitterness poured over him ut the
thought he had been too late. 1t had
all been in vain and before the thought
could fully 90 home, he heard the dln'
far-Off crack Of q pistol.
Was that the first Of the three shots,
the one she might expend OH the
wolves, or had the first two already
been spent and was she taking the last
gateway of escape? Perhaps even no"
LennOX was lying still on the sled. ana
she was standing before the ruin or
her fire. praying that her soul might
have wings. He shouted with all the
power of his lungs across the snow.
But SnOwbird only heard the soft
glide of the wolves in the snow. The
wind was blowing toward Dan; and
while he had heard the loud chorus Oh
the pack, one of the most far-carryinS
cries. and the penetrating crack OF
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," LennoN was
whispering. Give me the pistol-for
that last work We have only mo-
ment more"
He looked very calm and brave, half
raised as he was on the sled. and per-
haps half-smile fingered at his beard
ed lips. And the bravest thing of all
was that to spare her, he was willing
to take the little weapon from her
hand to use it in its last service. She
tried to 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 to his side and he
sat waiting. The moments passed. The
wolves seemed to be waiting, too, for
the last flickering tongue of the little
fire to die away. The last of her fuel
was ignitcd and burning out; they
were crouched and ready to spring If
The darkness closed down deeper, and
at last only column Of smoke re.
mained. {.
1t was nothing to be afraid of. The
great gray leader Of the pack, Il wolf
that weighed nearly 100 pounds, be-
gan slowly and deliberately to set his
muscles for the spring. 1t was the
same as when the great bull elk comes
| to bay at the base of the cliffs; usual
| ly some one wolf, often the great pack
70 h SC, Foil
| 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
| the leader chose to make the first leap
| himself. 1t 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 to look at them. But one was
lying almost prone, and the fire was
out. Besides. the madness of starva
ton, intensified ten times by their ter
| rible realization Of the wound at hel
| hip, was upon the pack as never be
| fore. The muscles punched at his
lean flanks.
But as Snowbird and her father
gaZed Mt him in fascinated horror, the
great wolf suddenly smashed down ir
the snow. She was aware of its curl
GUS, utter collapse actually before the
sound of the rifle shot that Occasionet
it had penetrated her consciousness
It was perfect shot at long range
and for long instant her tortured
faculties refused to accept the truth.
Then the rifle spoke again, and a sec
Ond wOlf-a large male that crOuchet
on the other side of the sled-fell kick
ing in the snow. The pack had leapet
forward at the first death; but the!
halted at the second. And then ter
ror came to them when the third vol
suddenly opened its savage lips ant
screamed in the DEAN agony.
Up to this time, except for the re
port Of the rifle. the attack had beer
made in utter silence. The reason wa:
lust that both breath and nervOu:
force are needed to shout; and Dal
Failing could afford to waste neithe
of these vital forces. He had dropped
to his knee, and was firing again ant
again, his gray eyes looking clear an'
straight along the barrel, his fingers
without jerk or tremor pressing agail
and again at the trigger. his hands
holding the rifle as in wise. Ever.
nerve and muscle were completely IL
his command. The distance was far
+. vet he shot with deadly, amazing &C
curacy. The wolves were within few
feet of the girl. and a fractions wave
In the gun barrel might have sped hi
bullet toward her
Its Dan Failing" LennoN shouted
| nc the fourth wolf lial