Middletown transcript., 1921-04-02
The Voice of the Pack
By EDISON MARSHALL
BY EDISON MARSHALL

'OOUUOUUUUO
Dan had told the truth when he said
that five deaths or even fewer, would
repel the attack Of any wolf pack he
had ever seen. There was just one
troubling thought. He had heard, long
ago, and he had forgotten who had
told him, that in the most severe WIN
ters the wolves gather in particularly
large packs; and quality in the song
that they had heard at night seemed
to bear it out. The chorus had been
exceptionally loud and strong, and ne
had been unable to pick out individual
voices.
The snow was perfect for skiing.
their sport had been many
times Interrupted either by the fall OF
fresh snow or thaw that had soft
ened the snow crust; but now every
afternoon was too perfect to remain
indoors. They shouted and romped in
the silences, and they did not dream
bat that they had the wilderness all to
themselves. The fact that one night
Lennox's keen eyes had seen what
looked like the glow Of camp fire
in the distance didn't affect this belief
Of theirs at all. 1t was evidently just
the phosphorus glowing in rotten log
from which the winds had blown the
snow.
Once or twice they caught glimpses
Of wild life: once a grouse that had
buried in the snow flushed from their
path and blew the snow-dust from its
wings; and once or twice they saw
snowshoe rabbits bounding away on
fiat feet over the drifts. But just one
day they caught sight Of wolf. They
were on snowshoes on a particularly
brilliant afternoon late in January.
He was a lone male, evidently a
straggler from the pack, and he leaped
from the top of tall thicket that had
remained above the snow. The man
and the girl had entirely different re-
actions. Dams first impression was
amazement at the animals condition.
It seemed to be in the last stages OF
starvation: unbelievably gaunt, with
rib bones showing plainly even through
the furry hide. Ordinarily the heavily
furred animals do not show signs OF
famine; but even an inexperienced eye
could not make a mistake in this case.
The eyes were red, and they carried
Dan back to his first adventure in the
Oregon forest-the day he had shot
the mad coyote. Snowbird thought of
the beast only as an enemy. The wolves
killed her fathers stock; they were
brigands Of the worst order; and she
shared the hatred Of them that Is a
common trait Of all primitive peoples.
Her hand whipped back, seized her pis-
tol, and she fired twice at the fleeing
figure.
The second shot was hit: both of
them saw the wolf 60 to its side, then
spring up and race on. Shouting, both
Of them sped after him.
In a few moments he was out OF
sight among the distant trees, but they
found the blood-trall and mushed over
the ridge. They expected at any mo-
ment to find him lying dead; but the
track led them on clear down the next
canyon. And now they cared not at
all whether they found him: it was
simply tramp in the out-of-doors
and both Of them were young with red
blood in their veins.
But all at once Dan stopped in his
tracks. The girl sped on for six PAGES
before she missed the sound of his
snowshoes; then she turned to find
him standing, wholly motionless, with
eyes fixed upon her.
It startled her, and she didn't know
why. A companion abruptly freezing
in his path, his muscles inert, and his
eyes filling with speculation, is always
startling. When this occurs it means
simply that thought so compelling
and engrossing that even the half.
unconscious physical functions, such
as walking, cannot continue, has come
into his mind. And it is part Of the
old creed of self-preservation to dislike
greatly to be left out on any such
thought as this. If danger is present
the sooner it is identified the better.
"What is it?" she demanded.
He turned to her curiously intent
"How many shells have you in that
pistol?'
She took one breath and answered
him. 1T holds five, and shot twice
I haven't any others"
"And I don't suppose it ever oc
Cured to you to carry extra ones in
your pocket?"
"Father is always telling me to-and
several times have. But I'd shoot
them away at target practice and for.
get to take any more. There was never
any danger-except that night with a
cougar. I did intend to-but what does
it matter nowT'
"We're couple Of wise ones, going
after that wolf with only three shots
to our name. OF course by himself
he's harmless-but he's likely enough
to lead us straight toward the pack
And Snowbird-I didn't like his looks
He's too gaunt and he's too hungry
and haven't bit Of doubt he waited
in that brush for us to come, intend
ing to attack us-and lost his nerve
A. oh I,
perate. don't like him, and I wouldn't
like his pack. And a whole pack might
not lose it's nerve"
'Then you think we'd better turn
back?'
"Yes, I do, and not come out any
more without whole pocket of shells
I'm going to carry rifle, too, just as
Lennox has always. He's got only O
A. - :