The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-04-21
Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown q ca


cowardice. Yet he knew he must keep
"a tight grip on his self-control and
nOtelet the necessity of haste cost him
his victory. He crept forward, step
by step, placing his snoWshoes with
eonsummate care. When he was one
hundred yards distant he saw that
Cranston's camp n az situated beside
| q little stream that flowed into the
river and that-like the mountaineer
he wasAh he had built q large lean-to
reinforced with snowbanks. The fire
burned at It's opening. Cranston was
not in sight; either he was absent
from camp or asleep In his lean-to
The latter seemed the more likely.
Dan made wide detour, coming in
about thirty yards behind the construc-
ton. Still he moved with incredible
caution. Never his life had he pos
sessed a greater Mastery over his OWE
nerves. His heart leaped somewhat
fast In his own breast hut this was
the only wasted motion. t isn't easy
to advance through such thlckets with.
ont ever misstep, without the rustic
OF branch or the crack or q twi9.
t Certain Of the wild creatures find It
easy but men have forgotten how In
too many centuries OF cities and farms.
It Is hardly human quality, and a
spectator would have found a rather
CHASTITY fascination m watching the
1.-THE motions, the passAOnIess face. the
hands that didn't shake at all. But
there were no spectators-unIess the
little band OF wolves, stragglers from
the pack that had gathered on the hills
behind-watched with lighted eyes,
Dan went down at full length upOn
the snow and softly removed his snow
shoes. They would be only an impede
ment in the close work that was sure
to follow. He slid along the snow
crust, clear to the mouth Of the lean-t to.
The moonlight poured through and
showed the interior with rather re-
markable plainness. Cranston was
sprawled. hd1f-sitting. half-lying on a
tree bough pallet near the rear wall.
There was not the slightest doubt Of
the mans wakefulness. Dan heard
him stir, and once-as IL at the mem
DRY Of his deed OF the day before-he
cursed In a savage whisper. Although
he was facing the opening OF the lean.
to, he was wholly unaware Of Dams
presence. The latter had thrust his
head at the side Of the opening, and
it was In shadow. Cranston seemed
to be watching the great, white snow
fields that lay In front, and for a mo-
ment Dan was at loss to explain this
seeming vigil. Then he understood.
The white field before him was part
Of the long ridge that the three of
them would pass on their way to the
valleys. Cranston had evidently an
tfcipated that the girl and the man
would attempt to march out--even II
+ he hadn't guessed they would try to
take the helpless LennOx with them
and he wished to be prepared for
emergencies. There might be sport to
have with Dan, unarmed as he was.
And his eyes were full of strange con-
lectures in regard to Snowbfrd. Both
would be exhausted now and helpless
Dams eyes encompassed the room:
the piles Of provisions heaped against
the wall, the snow shoes beside the
pallet, but most of all he wished to
locate Cranston's rifle. Success or
find it at first. Then he saw the gilt
: ter>-Of it's barrel in the moonlight
leaning against a grub box possibly
six feet from Cranston and 10 from
himself.
His heart 1eaped. The best he had
hoped for-for the sake Of SnOwbird.
not himself-was that he would be
nearer to the gun than CranStOn and
would be able to seize 1t first. But
conditions could be greatly worse than
they were. If Cranston. had actually
had the weapon in his hands, the odds
Of battle would have been frightfully
against Dan. 1t takes certain length
of time to seize, swing, and aim RI.
fte; and Dan felt that while he would
be unable to reach it himself, Gran
ston could not procure 1t either, with"
out giving Dan an opportunity to leap
upon him. In all his dreams, through
the months of preparation, he had pic
tured it thus. 1t was the test at last.
The gun might be loaded. and still
In these days Of safety devices-un-
ready to fire; and the loss Of frac'
ton of second might enable Gran
ston to reach his knife. Thus Dan
felt justified in ignoring the gun alto
gether and trusting-as he had most
desired-to battle of hands. And he
wanted both hands free when he made
his attack.
If Dan had been erect upon his feat,
his course would have been an tmme-
date leap on the shoulders OF his adj
versary, running the risk OF CrapstOE
reaching his hunting knife in virne
Bnt the second that he would reQuira
TO. get to his feet would entirely onset
this advantage. Cranston could spring
up, too. So he did the next most dis
arming thing.
He sprang UP and s,rode into the
lean-to.