Williams news., 1921-07-22

far as Dan knew, neither the courts
 nor the forest service had taken ac
 ton.
 He hurried on, four miles farther
 The trail entered the heavy tnickets
 and he had to ride slowly. It was as
 wild a section as could be found on
 the whole Divide And just as he
 came to a little cleared space. three | strange dark birds flung up on wide l spreading wings.
 He knew them at once. All noun | taineerS come to know them before
 their days are done. They were the | buzzards, the followers of the dead. And what they were doing in the | thicket just beside the trail, Dan did not dare to think.
 Of course they might be feeding on the body of a deer. mortally wounded by some hunter. He resolved to ride by without Investigating. He glanced up. The buzzards were lowering in the sky. evidently waiting for him to pass. Then, mostly to relieve curi- | ous sense of discomfort in his own mind, he stopped his horse and dis mounted.
 The twilight had started to fall, and already Its first grayness had begun 10 soften the harder lines of forest and hill. And after his first glance at
 the curious white heap beside the trail, he was extremely glad that 1t
 had. But there was no chance to mis-
 take the thing. The elements and
 much more terrible agents had each
 wrought their change, yet there was
 grfsly evidence in plenty to show what
 had occurred. Dan didn't doubt for
 an instant but that 1t was the Skele
 ton of Landy Hildreth.
 Ho %o
 buzzards were almost done. and one white bone from the shoulder gave un- mistakahle evidence of the passage of a bullet. What had happened there after, he could only guess.
 He got back quickly on his horse. He understood, now, why nothing had been heard of the evidence that Landy Hildreth was to turn over to the courts as to the activities of the arson ring. Some one-probably Bert Gran ston himself-had been waiting on the trail. Others had come thereafter. And his lips set in his resolve to let this murder measure in the debt he had to pay Cranston.
 The Lennox house seemed very si- lent when, almost an hour later, he turned his horse into the corral. He had rather hoped that Snowbird would be at the door to meet him. The dark | ness had just fallen, and all the lamps 1 were lighted. He strode into the lfv- | ing room, warming his hands an in- | stant beside the fireplace. The fire | needed fuel It had evidently been | neglected for nearly an hour.
 Then he called Snowbird. His voice echoed in the silent room, unanswered. | He called again, then went to look for her. At the door of the dining room he found the note that she had left for him.
 It told, very simply and plainly. that her father lay injured in his bed, and he was to remain and do what he could for him. She had gone for help to the ranger station.
 He Ieaped through the rooms to Len nox's door, then went in on tiptoe. And the first thing he saw when he opened thes-door was the grizzled man,s gray face on the pillow.
 "You're home early, Dan," he said. How many did you get?"
 It was entirely characteristic. Shaggy old Woof is too proud to howl over! the wounds that lay him low, and his gray old bear on the bed had par aken of his spirit.
 Good Lord," Dan answered. "How badly are you hurt?"
 "Not so bad but that I'm sorry that Snowbird has gone drifting twelve niles over the hills for help. It's lark as pitch.'
 And 1t was. Dan could scarcely make out the outline of the somber idges against the sky.
 They talked on, and their subject vas whether Dan should remain to ake care of Lennox or whether he i hould attempt to overtake Snowbfrd f with the horse. Of course the girl S ad ordered him to stay. Lennox. on t he other hand, said that Dan could | ot help him in the least, and desired r i'm to follow the girl. s
 "Tm not often anxious about her." T e said slowly. ''But 1t Is long walk S through the widest part of the Di- l. idle. Some way-I can't bar accidents S Onfght. I don't like to think of her n those mountains alone" | G And remembering what had lain be t Ide the trail, Dan felt the same. He c ad heard, long ago, that any animal a nat once tasted human flesh loses its a ear of men and is never to be trusted 9 gain. Some wild animal that still il unted the ridges had, in the last ii lonth, done just that thing. He left 9 le room and walked softly to the b oor C