The Jasper news., 1921-04-28
The Voice Of the Pack
BY EDISON MARSHALL
Ry EDISON MARSHALL
cODyriaht Iao. By tIttls. prgws 4 q.

.
er really cared much about living b.
fore. III try now, and you'll kee--
oh, Snowbltd, wait and trust mei !
understand everything. It's my own
nght--when you kissed me, and ke
cried down that word IN anger AID
Jealousy, Il put the whole thing on me.
No one else can make him answer; no
one else has the right. It's my honor,
no one else's, that stands or falls"
He lifted her hand to his lips and
kissed II again and again.
And for the first time he saw the
tears gathering In her dark eyes. "But
you fought here, didn't you, Danf"
she asked with painful sl0wness. "You
didnt put mp your arms-Or try to
run awayf i didn't come till he had
you done, 30 i didn't see." She looked
at him as II her whole Joy Of life hung
on his answer.
Fought I would have fought till
! diedl But that isn't enough, Snow
bird. II isn't enough just to fght, In
case like this. mans got to win
| would have died II you hadn't come.
And that's another debt that I have
to pay-only that debt owe to you"
She nodded slowly. The lives Of
the mountain men are not saved by
their women without incurring oblIga-
tion. She attempted no barren de-
malls. She made no effort to pretend
he Ind not incurred a tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. 1t
was an unavoidable fact. A life for
life Is the code of the mountains.
''TwO things must do before can
ever dare to die" he told her sOberly.
zone Of them is to pay you; the other
is to pay Cranston for the thing he
said. Maybe the chance will never
come for the first Of the two; only I'll
pray that II Will. Maybe II would be
kinder to you TO pray that II wouldn't;
yet ] pray that 1t VIII Maybe can
pay that debt only by being always
ready, always watching for a chance
to save you from any danger, always
trying to protect you. You didn't
come in time to see the fight made.
Besides--I lost, and little, else mat
ters. And that debt to ypu can't be
paid until sometime I fight again--for
you-and win" He gasped from his
weakness, but went on braFely. 'Tll
never be able TO feel at peace, Snow.
bird, until I'm tested Ia the fire before
your eyes, want to show you the
things Cranston said OF me are not
true-thnt my courage viii stand the
test.
ut wouldn't be the same, perhaps,
with an Eastern girl. Other things
matter In the valleys. But ] see how
1t is here; that there is only one
standard for men and by that stand
ard they rise or fall. Things In the
mountains are down to the essen.
tlals."
He paused and struggled for
strength to continue. "And I know
what you said to him." he went on.
"Half-unronsciOus as was, l remem-
ber every word. Each word just seems
to burn into me. Snowbird, and I'll
make every one OF them good. You
said am better man than he, and
sometime It would be prOved-and it's
the truth! Maybe In a month, maybe
In year. I'm not going TO die from
this malndy of mine now. Snowbird.
I've got too much TO live for-too
many debts to pay. In the end, I'll
prove your words to him."
His eyes grew earnest. and the hard
fire went out Of them. SITS almost as
II you were a queen. a real queen of
some great Kingdom" he told her.
tremulOus with great awe that was
stealing over him. as a mist steals over