The state herald., 1921-01-21
BOOK TWo-THE DEBT.

CHAPTER l.-Dan, now thoroughly
proficient in woods lore. learns from Len
nox that an organized band of outlaws.
Of which Bert Cranston Is the leader. IL
making trouble In the vicinity. Landry
Hildreth. q former member OF the gang.
has been induced TO turn states evidence.
On his way to the city Hildreth is way
laid by Cranston. shot. and left for dead
Cranston. however. overlooked the fact
that Hildreth might have documentary
evidence on his person, and 10 saushsd
Dat his enemy will never reach the city
y tell what he knsvs Of the operations
q the gang.
CHAPTER liza cougar. on . personal
hunting expedition. nnds Hiidrsth In .
thickst, where he had crawled after be-
ing shot BY Cranston. The cougar I'm
ishes cranston's work. and In striking
Gown man becomes . forest outlaw.
Failing, on his way home from . visit
- 'Snowbirds" lookout station. comes
upon Cranston in the act Of starting .
forest nre. The men quarrel and night
Failing 10 no match for the sturdy noun
tainser and 10 saved from death only BY
he Intervention Of 'Snowbird." who
arives the outlaw from his victim by
threatening him with a revolver.
CHAPTER III.-Cranston grossly insults
the girl Failing promises her he will
punish him when he has fully recovered
his strength. and the girl looks on the
promise as . compact few days later
6ilas Lennox, while chopping wood In the
forest, 10 pinned under 4 falling branch
and badly hurt "snowbird" nnds her
fAther and gets him safely to the house
and to bed.
CHAPTER Iv.-The girl sets out across
the Divide. In the darkness. to bring q
physician. She has n sense that she 10
being staiked by some animal. End be-
comes uneasy. Dan. who had been shoot.
Ing. arrives home and nnds Lennox. Both
Lsnnox and Dan fear for 'snowbird's"
sAfety. and Dan at once sets out to over.
take her. The animal stalking the .sirl 10
the cougar which had finished Hiidreth.
now become a hunter OF man. Failing
arrives only Just In time TO save the girls
life. and In that manner pays part OF the
debt he owes her. Al evidence OF Dams
returning strength he stransies the ani-
NAL. which. though wounded by revolver
shot from 'snowbirds" weapon. was q
most formidable enemy.
Christmas came ana passed. and
January brought clear DAYS ard an
Ineffective sun shining on the snow.
These were tile best days of all. Every
afternoon Dan and Snowblrd would
20 out ON their skis or on snowshoes.
unnrmed except for the pistol that
Snowblrd carried In the deep pocket
Of her macklnnw. "But why notf' Dan
replied to Lemons objection. "Shc
could kill five wolves with Ave shots.
or pretty near II. aud you know well
an ,xA.tI h.l f.t,
We got home. They'd stop TO eat the
five. have hard enough time keep
Ing up with her ns II Is. without carry.
Ing n rife" And Lcnnox was content.
Dan had told the truth when he said
that Ave deaths or even fewer. would
rcpcl the attack Of nny wolf pack lie
had ever seen. There was Just one
troubling thought. He had heard. long
ngo. md he had forgotten who had
told him. that In the most severe win.
ters the wolves gather II particularly
large packs: snd a quality 10 the song
mat they had heard at night seemed
10 bear II out. The chorus had been
exceptionally loud and stroos, and hs
had been unable to pick out individual
voices.
The snow wns perfect for skiing
Previously their sport Ind been many
times interrupted either by the fnll oi
fresh fnow or n ibnw TINT had soft
cncd the snow crust; hut now ever,
afternoon wns too perfect 10 rcinnlf
indoors. They shouted md ronped IN
the silcnccs. and they did not dream
bur that they had the wilderness MI 10
themselves The fnct that one might
Lcnnox's keen eyes had seen whni