The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-01-13
But all at once Dan slorI,

before she missed the sound of his
snowshoes; then she turned to find
him standing, wholly motionless. with
eyes fixed upon her.
1t 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 1t means
simply that a thought SO compelling
and engrossing that even the half
unconscious physical functions. such
as walking. cannot continue, has come
into his mind. And 1t 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 1t 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 I shot twice.
I haven't any Others"
And / don't suppose 1t ever oc
CURED to you to carry extra ones In
your pocket7"
|
several times 1 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
cougar. I did intend to-but what does
1t matter nowT
We're a 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
the last thing. That shows he's des-
perate. don't like him. and wouldn't
like his pack. And whole pack might
not lose its nerve"
''Then you think we'd better turn
backT
"Yes. I do, and not come out any
more without whole pocket of shells
I'm going to carry a rifle. too. just as
Lennox has always. He's got only a
flesh-wound. You saw what you did
with two cartridges-got in one flesh
wound. Three of em against a pack
wouldn't be great deal of aid.
don't mean to say you can't shoot. but
| jumping, lively wolf is worse than
bird in the air. We've gone over
three miles; and he'd lead us ten miles
farther-even If he didn't go to the
| pack. Let's go back"
IF you say so. But / don't think
| hn Cf ~
can always climb tree"
sand have 'em make n beautiful
circle under 1t They've got more pa
tience than we have-and we'd have
to come down some time. Your father
can't come to our help, you know. It's
the sign of the tenderfoot not to think
there's any danger-and I'm not going
to think that way any more"
They turned back and mushed in
silence a long time.
II suppose you'll think I'm n cow
ard" Dan asked her humbly.
"Only prudent. Dan," she answered,
smiling. Whether she meant 1t he did
not know. I'm just beginning to un-
derstand that you-living here only
few months-really know and under
stand all this better than I do" She
stretched her arms wide to the wilder
ness. II guess it's your instinct"
"And I do understand" he told her
earnestly. 81 sensed danger back
there Just as sure as l can see your
face. That packard it's a big one,
is close; and it's terribly hungry. And
you know-you can't help but know
that the wolves are not to be trusted
in famine times"
'T know 1t only too WELL" she said
Then she paused and asked him
about strange grayness. like snow
blown by the wind. on the sky over
the ridge.
Bert Cranston waited in clump of
exposed thicket on the hillside until
he saw two black dots. that he knew
were Dan and Snowbird, leave the
Lennox home. He lay very still as
they circled up the ridge. noticing
that except for the pistol that he
knew Snowbird always carried, they
were unarmed. There was no par
ticular reason why he should be inter-
ested in that point. 1t was just the
mountain way always to look for
weapons. and 1t is rather difficult to
trace the mental processes behind this
impulse. Perhaps it can be laid to
the fact that many mountain families
are often at feud with one another.
and anything In the way of violence
may happen before the morning.
The two passed out of his sight.
and after long time he heard the
crack of Snowbird's pistol He
guessed that she had either shot AT
some wild creature, or else was mere
ly at target practice-rather com
mon proceeding for the two when
they were on the hills together. Thus
1t is to be seen that Cranston knew