The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-03-18

nor the forest service had taken ac-
ton.
He hurried on, four miles farther.
The trail entered the heavy thickets,
and he had % ride slowly. 1t was as
wild section as could be found on
the whole Divide. And just as he
came to little cleared space, three
strange. dark birds flung up on wide
spreading wings.
He knew them at once. All noun
talneers come to know them before
their days are done. They were the
buzzards, the followers Of the dead.
And what they we're doing In the
thlcket just beside the trail, Dan did
not dare to think.
OF course they might be feeding on
the body of deer MORALLY wounded
by some hunter. He resolved to ride
by without investigating. He glanced
up. The buzzards were lowering In
the sky. evidently waiting for him to
pass. Then, mostly to relieve curl
GUS sense of discomfort In his own
mind, he stopped his horse. and dis
mounted.
The twilight had started to fall, and
already its first grayness had begun
10 soften the harder lines of forest
and hill. And after his first glance at
The curious white heap beside the
trail. he was extremely glad that II
had. But there was no chance to mis-
take the thing. The elements and
much more terrible agents had each
wrought their change, yet there was
grlsly evidence in plenty to show what
had occurred. Dan didn't doubt for
an instant but that 1t was the skele-
ton of Landy Hlldreth.
He forced himself to go nearer. The
buzzards were almost done, and one
white bone from the shoulder gave un-
mlstakable evidence Of the passage OF
a bullet. What had happened there
after, he could only guess.
He got back quickly on his horse.
He understood, now, why nothing had
been heard Of the evidence that Landy
HIldreth was TO turn over to the
courts as to the activities of the arson
ring. Some one-probably Bert Gran
ston himself-had been waiting on the
trail. Others had come thereafter.
And his lips set in HIS resolve to let
this murder measure in the debt he
had to pay Cranston.
The Lennox house seemed very ST.
lent when, almost an hour later, he
Turned his horse into the corral. He
hai1rather hoped that Snowblrd would
he at the door to meet him. The dark
ness had Just fallen. and all the lamps
were lighted. He strobe into the liv-
ing room. warming his hands an In
slant beside the fireplace. The fire
| needed fuel. 1t had evidently been
neglected for nearly an hour.
Then he called SnowSird His voice
echoed in the silent room, unanswered.
He called again, then went to look for
her. At the door of the dining room
he found the note that she had left
for him.
Z II told, very simply and plainly. that
her father lay injured In his bed, and
he was to remain and do what he
could for him. She had gone for help
to the ranger station.
a He leaped through the rooms to Len
noxs door. then went In on tiptoe
And the first thing he saw when nc
opened the door was the grizzlet
mans gray face on the pillow,
you're home early Dam" he said
Glow many did you get?"
II was entirely Characteristic
Shaggy old Wool is too proud to how
over the wounds that lay him low. ant
this gray old bear on the bed had par
taken Of his spirit.
Good Lord" Dan answered. "Hov
badly are you hurtf"
mot so bad but that I'm sorry tina
Snowbird has gone drifting twelve
miles over the hills for help. IT.
dark as pitch"
And 1t was. Dan could scarcel!
make out the outline Of the sombe
ridges against the sky.
They talked on, and their subjec
was whether Dan should remain 4
take care of Lennox. or whether h
should attempt to overtake Snowbir'
with the horse. or course the CIR
had ordered him to stay. Lennox. OF
3 the other hand. said that Dan coul'
5 not help him in the least. and desires
] him TO follow the e,rl.
Tm not oftenl anxious about her,
= he said slowly. But II Il long wal
: through the widest part Of the d
vide. Some way--I can't bar accident
2 tonight. I don't like to think Of he
e on those mountains alone
And remembering what had lain b.
e side the trail. Dan felt the same Fl
!. had heard. long ago. that any anima
I that once tasted human flesh loses II
1 fear of men and is never TO be truste
{ again. Some wild animal that stl
: hunted the ridges had. In the las
Q month, done Just that thing He LEI
e the room and walked softly to h
door. .A1a .t
The night lay silent and mysterIou
I over the Divide. He stood listening
e The girl had started only an hour b
). fore, and It was unlikely that sh
d could have traversed more than tw
miles of the steep trail In that tim