The Belding banner-news., 1921-06-08

direct ROAD 10 the river, anu ne hepl
il as If by surveyors line. All the
old devices Of the wilderness-the
ridge on ridge that looked just alike.
inclines that to the casual eye looked
like downward slopes. streams that
vanished beneath the snow, and the
snow-mist blowing across the face of
he laudmarks-could not avail
against him.
A half dozen of the wolves followed
him at first. But perhaps their fierce
eyes marked his long stride and his
powerful body. and decided that their
letter chance was with the helpless
aan and the girl beside the flickerng
ire. They turned back one by one.
Dan kept straight on and in two hours
rosScd CranstCn's trail. He didn't
loubt but that he would find Gran
5ton in his camp, if he found the camp
lt all. The man had certainly re-
turned to it Immediately after Setting
ire to the buildings, If for no other
"eason than for food II isn't we'll
% he abroad on the wintry mountains
without a supply of food and Gran
ston would certainly know this fact.
Dan didn't know when rifle bullet
from some camp in the thickets would
put an abrupt end to his advance. The
brush grew high by the river. the ele-
yation was considerably lower. and
here might be one hundred camps out
If the sight of the casual wayfarer.
If Cranston should see him, mushlng
across the moonlit snow, il would give
him the most savage joy to open fire
upon him with his rifle.
Dams keen eyes searched the thick
cts, and particularly they watched the
sky line for a faint glare that might
mean n camp fire He tried TO walk
silently. 1t wasn't nm easy thing to
do with awkward snowshoes. but the
river drowned the little noise that he
made. lie tried TO take advantage Of
the shelter of the thickets and the
trees. Then, at the base Of little
ridge. he came to sudden halt.
He had estimated just right. Not
two hundred yards distant, camp
fire flickered and glowed in the shell
ter Of a great log. He saw II. by the
most astounding good fortune, through
IL little rift I'm the trees. Ten feet on
either side, and it was obscured
He lost no time. He did not know
when the wolves about SnowbirPs
camp would lose the last of their
n,.1i. hn Ia.
tight grip on his self-control and
not let the necessity of haste cost him
his victory. He crept forward, step
by step, placing his snowshoes with
consummate care. When he was one
hundred yards distant he saw that
Cranston's camp was situated beside
a little stream that flowed into the
river and that-like the mountaineer
he was-he had built large lean-to
reinfuCed with snowbanks. The fire
burned at its opening. Cranston was
not in sight; either he was absent
from camp or asleep in his lean-to.
The latter seemed the more likely.
Dan made wide detour, coming in
about thirty yards behind the construc-
ton. Still he moved with Incredible
caution. Never in his life had he pos
sessed n greater mastery over his own
nerves. His heart leaped somewhat
fast i'm his own breast; but this was
the only wasted motion. 1t isn't easy
TO advance through such thickets with
out ever misstep. without the rustic
Of branch or the crack of twig.
Certain of the wild creatures find II
easy; but men have forgotten how i'm
too many centuries of cities and farms.
IL is hardly a human quality, and
spectator would have found rather
CHASTITY fascination in watching the
1.-THE motions, the passionless face. the
hands that didn't shake at all. But
there were no spectators-unless the
little band Of wolves, stragglers from
the pack that had gathered on the hills
behind-watched with lighted eyes.
Dan went down at full length upon
the snow and softly removed his snow
shoes. They would be only an impedl-
ment in the close work that was sure
TO follow. lie slid along the snow
crust, clear TO the mouth of the lean-to.
The moonlight poured through and
showed the interior with rather re-
markable plainness. Cranston was
sprawled, half-sitting, half-lying on a
tree-bough pallet near the rear wall.
There was not the slightest doubt OF
the mans wakefulness. Dan heard
him stir, and once-as IL at the mem
ory of his deed of the day before-he
cursed in savage whisper. Although
he was facing the opening of the lean
to, he was wholly unaware Of Dams
presence. The latter had thrdst his
head at the side Of the opening, and
1t was in shadow. Cranston seemed
to be watching the great, white snow
fields that lay in front, and for mo-
ment Dan was at loss to explain this
seeming vigil. Then he understood.
The white field before him was part