Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-07-23
CHAPTER Il-continued.

Zoo long, III we re going TO make II
out" Lennox objected
~That leaves a workday of nineteen
,nurs," Dan persisted Not any too
little Five hours it will be-"
He found where the snow had drift
ed against a great, dead log, leaving
the white covering only a foot in
depth on the lee side. He began to
scrape the snow away, then hacked at
the log with his AK until he had pro-
cured a piece of comparatively dry
wood from its center. They all stood
breathless while he lighted the little
pile of kindling and heaped it with
green wood-the only wood procur-
able. But it didn't burn freely 1t
smoked fitfully, threatening to die out,
and emitting very little heat.
But they didn't particularly care.
The sun was warm above, as always
in the mountain winters of southern
Oregon. Snowbird and Dan cleared
spaces beside the fire and slept. Len
nox, who had rested on the journey,
lay on his sled and with his uniniured
arm tried to hack enough wood from
the saplings that Dan had cut to keep
the fire burning.
At three they got up, still tired and
aching in their bones from exposure.
Twenty-four hours had passed since
they had tasted food, and their unre-
plenished systems complained. There
Is no better engine in the wide world
than the human body. 1t will stand
more neglect and abuse than the finest
steel motors ever made by the hands
OF craftsmen. A man may fast many
days If he lies quietly in one place
and keeps warm. But fasting is
deadly proposition while pulling
sledges over the snow.
Dan was less hopeful now. His face
told what his words did not The
lines cleft deeper about his lips and
ewes; and Snowbirds heart ached
when he tried to encourage her with
q smile. It was a wan. strange smile
that couldn't quite hide the first sick
ness Of despair.
The shadows quickly heightened
simply leaping over the snow from the
fastfallng sun The twilight deep
Pued the snow turned gray, and then.
sn a vague way. the journey began to
Dartake Of a quality of mreality. It
was net that the cold and the snow
and their hunger were not entirely
real or that the wilderness was no
longer naked TO their eyes. It was Just
shat their whole effort seemed like
some dreadful, unburdened journey in
g dream-a stumbling advance under
difficulties too many and real to be
true.
The first sign was the far-off cry
OF the wolf pack. It was very faint.
simply a stir in the eardrums. vet It
was entirely clear. That clear. cold
mountain air was perfect telephone
system, conveying a message distinct
ly no matter how family. There
were no tall buildings or cities to dis
nrh the ether waves. And all three
OF them knew at the same instant II
was not exactly the cry they mad
heard before
They couldn't have told Just why.
even i they had wished to talk about
if In ONE dim way. If had lost the
strange quality of despair it had held
before. Il was as If the pack were
running with renewed life, that each
wolf was c2lling to another with
dreadful sort Uf exultation. It was an
excited cry, too-not the long. sad
Song they had learned to listen for. 1t
sounded Immediately behind them.
They couldn't help bit listen. No
human ears could have shut out the
sound, But none Of them pretended
mat they had heard. And this was the
ofSt sign Of all. Each one of the
.'Tee was hoping against hope in his
.E heart; and at the same time. hon
mat the others did not understand.
for q long time. as the darkness
.eaed about them, the forests were
Perhaps, Dan thought. he had
" mistaken after al. His shoulders
Htened Then the chorus blared
a man looked back at the girl.
into her eyes. Lennox lay as
sa the lines Of his dark face
pronounced. And the girl,
she was Of the mountains,
nd soul, answered Dams smile.
hey knew that al Of them knew