Middletown transcript., 1921-04-30
By EDISON MARSHALL
Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown & Co.


It is hardly q human quality, and
spectator would have found rather
CHASTITY fascination in watching the
1.-THE motions, the passionless face, the
hands that didn't shake at all. But
there were no spectators-unless 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 impedi.
ment In the close work that was sure
to follow. He slid along the snow
crust, clear to the mouth of the lean-to.
The moonlight poured through and
showed the interior with rather re-
markable plainness. Cranston was
sprawled, half-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 If at the mem.
ory 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 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
ticipated that the g1rl 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 foI
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 Snowbird. Both
would he 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 OF
| failure hung on that. He couldn't
| find it at first. Then he saw the gilt.
ter of its barrel in the moonlight
| leaning against a grub box possibly
six feet from Cranston and 10 from
| himself.
His heart leaped. 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 it 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. It takes a certain length
Of time to seize, swing, and aim RI.
fie; and Dan felt that while he would
be unable to reach it himself, Gran.
ston could not procure it 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
ready to fire; and the loss of frac
tion of q 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 feet
his course would have been an imme-
! date leap on the shoulders of his ad'
versary. running the risk Of Cranston
reaching his hunting knife in time
But the second that he would require
TO get to his feet would entirely offset
this advantage. Cranston could spring
up, too. So he did the next most dis
arming thing.
He sprang up and strobe into the
lean-tO.
CTO BE CONTINUED.)