The Dolores star., 1921-09-02
CHAPTER il-continued.


Into the shadows as he approached.
He refused to notice that the pack
seemed to be steadily growing bolder.
Human hunters usually had guns that
could blast and destroy from dis
apce: but even an animal intelli-
.ence could perceive that these three
seemed to be without this means of
Inficting death.
A wolf is ever so much more intelli-
gent than crOw-yet u crow shows
little fear of an unarmed man and is
wholly unapproachable by boy with
O gun. The ugly truth was simply that
IN their increasing madness and ex-
citement and hunger. they were becom-
ing less and less fearful of these three
strange humans with the sled.
1t was not II good place for n camp.
They worked long time before they
cleared little patch of ground of its
snow mantle. Dan cut a number of
saplingS-laboriousl with his ax-and
bnirt hre with the comparatively
dry core of dead tree. True, 1t was
feeble and fiickering, but as good as
gould he 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.
"No more time to be lost" Dan told
Snowhird. at lies in your hands to
keep the fire burning. And don't leave
the circle Of the fire light without
chat pistol in your hand"
You don't mean" she asked. unbe-
sieving. that you are going TO go out
there to fight Cransron-unarmed?"
"Of course, Snowbird. You must
keep the pistol"
But it means death; that's all II
means. What chance would you have
against man with a rifle? And as
soon as you get away from this fire,
he wolves will tear you to pieces"
"And what would you and your IA
ther do. if took 1t? You can't get
him into tree. You can't build
big enough fire to frighten them.
please don't even talk about this mat
Ter. SnOwbird. My minds made up.
think the pack will stay here. They
usually-God knows how-knnw who
IS helpless and who isn't Maybe with
the gun, you will be able to save your
iIveS."
What's the chance of that?"
"You might-with one cartridge
XIII one of the devils; and the others
but you know how they devour their
pwa dead. That might break their
famiae enough so that they'd hold off
untii I can get back. That's the prize
I'm playing for"
"And what il you don't get back?"
He took her hand in one of his, and
with the other he caressed, for sin
gle moment, the lovely flesh Of her
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
Tess with great. sweet wonder.
Never let those fangs tear that
saftness, while you live" he told here
gently. Never let that brave old man
on the sled go to his death with the
pack tearing at him. Cheat 'em,
Snowbird Beat 'em the last minute,
II no other way remains! Show 'em
who's boss, after all-of all this for
est"
"You mean-?" Her eyes widened.
81 mean that you must only spend
one of those three shells in fighting
off the wolves. Save that till the mo-
rnent you need 1t most. The other
two must be saved-for something
else"
She nodded, shuddering an instant
at menacing shadow that moved
within 60 feet of the fire.
"Then goodby. DAM she told him.
And she stretched up her arms. 1.-The
thing I said-that day on the hillside
doesn't hold any more"
His own arms encircled her. but he
made no effort to claim her lips. Len
nOx watched them quietly; in this
moment of crisis not even pretending
to look away. Dan shook his head to
fter entreating eyes. "It isn't just
kiss. darling" he told her soberly "It
goes deeper than that. It's a symbol.
II was your word. too. and mine and
words can't be broken. things being as
they are. Can't make you under
stand?'
She nodded. His eyes burned. Per-
haps she didn't understand. as far as
actual functionIng Of the brain was
concerned. But she reached up to
him. as mountaineering life in the
concrete rather than the abstract
ifaye always reached up to men; and
she dimly caught the CLEAN of some
<terna, principle and right behind his
words. This strong man of the noun
tains had given his word. had been
witness to her own promise to him
and to herself and law that goes
down to the roots of life prevented
him from claiming the kiss.
Many times, since the world was
new, cOmfort-happiness- itself
have been contingent on the breaking
OF law. Yet In spite Of what seemed
common sense, even though no punish
ment would forthcome II It were