The Bossier banner., 1921-07-14
"And never come backr the girl

Il i
Maybe not. But at least every
thing that can be done will be done.
Nothing will be left. No regrets. We
will have made the last trial. I'm not
going to waste any time, Snowbird.
The sooner we get your fire built the
better"
Father and are to stay here"
what else can you dot" He went
back to his traces and drew the sled
100 yards farther. he didn't seem to
see the gaunt wolf that backed of
into the shadows as he approached.
He refused to notice that the pack
seemed to be steadily growing b0lder.
Human hunters usually had guns that
could blast and destroy from dis
tance; but even an animal intelli-
gence could perceive that these three
seemed to be without this means Of
infiicting death.
A wolf is ever SO much more intelli.
gent than crOw-yet crow shows
little fear of an unarmed man and is
wholly unapproachable by boy with
gun. The ugly truth was simply that.
In their increasing madness and ex-
element and hunger. they were becom-
Ing less and less fearful of these three
strange humans with the sled.
1t was not good place for a camp.
They worked long time before they
cleared little patch Of ground Of its
snow mantle. Dan cut number Of
saplings-laboriously with his ax-and
built fire with the comparatively
dry core OF dead tree. True. 1t was
feeble and fiickering, but as good as
could be hoped for. considering the
difficulties under which he worked.
The dead logs under the snow were
soaked with water from the rains and
thaws. The green wood that he cut
smoked without blazing.
mo more time to be lost" Dan told
Sn0wbird. vt lies Ia your hands to
keep the fire burning. And don't leave
the circle Of the fire light without
that pistol In your hand"
"You don't mean." she asked. unbe-
lieving. that you are going to 60 out
there to fight Cranston-unarmed?"
.Of course, Snowbird. You must
keep the pistol"
"But It means death; that's all It
means. What chance would you have
| against a man with q rifle? And as
soon as you get away from this fire.
the wolves will tear you to pieces"
"And what would you and your IA
ther do, II / took It? You can't get
him into tree. You can't build q
big enough FIRE to frighten them.
Please don't even talk about this mat
ter, Sn0wbird. My minds made up.
think the pack will stay here. They
usually-God knows hOw-know who
Is helpless and who isn't. Maybe with
the gun. you win be able to save your
lives"
whats the chance of that?"
/ "You might--with one cartridge
kill one of the devils; and the Others
but you know how they devour theiI
own dead. That might break tieil
famine enough SO that they'd hold Oh
Until ! S0u SCl UAehs AuuS . ln~ ~ s@t<
I'm playing for"
.And what II you don't get back r
He took her hand in one of his, and
with the other he caressed. for sin
gle moment, the lovely flesh OF he1
throat. The love he had for her SPOKE
from his eyes-such speech as no hu
man vision could possibly mistake
Both of them were tingling and breath
less with great. sweet wonder.
aNever let those fangs tear tina
softness, while you live" he told her
gently. "Never let that brave old mai
on the sled go to his death with tn
pack tearing at him. Cheat 'en
. Snowbirdl Beat 'em the last minute
, If no ether way remains! Show 'eI
) who's boss, after all-of all this foi
) est"
, sYou mean-?" Her eyes widenet
, 81 mean that you must only spen
I one Of those three shells In fightin
g of the wolves. Save that till the mt
] ment you need It most. The othe
two must be saved-for somethin
4 else"
She nodded. shuddering an instar
at q menacing shadow that move
i within GO feet of the Gre.
'aThen goodby. Danl" she told hin
Il And she stretched up her arms 'srf
thing | said-that day on the hillsid
q doesn't hold any more"
\ His own arms encircled her, but |
made no effort to claim her lips. Le
i nox watched them quietly; In tn
!. moment OF crisis not even pretendir
s 10 look away. Dan shook his head
Z her entreating eyes. "It isn't just
n kiss. darling" he told her soberly. :
Y goes deeper than that. It's a symbt
4 II was your word. too. and mine; al
II words can't be broken. things being
j they are. Can't make you unde
standr'
III She nodded. His eyes burned. p
haps she didn't understand. as far
II actual functionlng of the brain v
concerned. But she reached up
him, as women--knowing life In I
concrete rather than the abstract
lst =