Williams news., 1921-09-23

U He lost no time. He did not know
 when the wolves about Snowbird's
 camp would lose the last of their fl cowardice Yet he knew he must keep i tight grip his self-controI and
 not let the necessity of haste cost him
 his victory. He crept forward, step | by step, placing his Snowshoes with | conSummate care. When he was one l hundred yards distant he saw that | Cranston's camp was situated beside
 a little stream that flowed into the | river and that-like the mountafneer
 he was-he had built large lean-to I 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 a wide detour. coming in
 about thirty yards behind the construc- | ton. Still he moved with incredible caution. Never in his life had he pos
 sessed a greater mastery over his own nerves. His heart leaped somewhat
 fast in his own breast; but this was the only wasted motion. It isn't easy to advance through such thickets with
 out ever miSStep, without the rustic
 of a branch or the crack of a twig.
 Certain of the wild creatures find it
 easy; but men have forgotten how in
 too many centuries of cities and farms.
 It is hardly a human quality. and
 spectator would have found a rather
 ghaStly 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 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
 
 fields that lay in front. and for a mo- ment Dan was at loss to explain this 1 seeming vigil. Then he understood. 1 The white field before him was part l of the long ridge that the three of | them would pass on their way to the | valleys. Cranston had evidently an dcipated that the Srrl and the man l would attempt to march out-even if hn hadn't yrnulI 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 Snowbird- 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 Cranstons rifle. Success or failure hung on that. He couldn't 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 leaped. The best he had hoped for-for the sake of Snowbird. ! nearer to the gun than Cranston and would be able to seize it first. But could be greatly worse than hey were. If Cranston had actually lad the weapon in his hands. the odds )f battle would have been frightfully against Dan. It takes a certain length If time to seize, swing, and aim ri ie; and Dan felt that while he would ,e unable to reach it himself, Gran ton could not procure it either, with 'ut giving Dan an opportunity to leap lpon him. Tn all his dreams. through he months of preparation he had pie ured it thus It was the test at last. ,
 The gun might be loaded, and still . n these days of safety devices-un- , eady to fire; and the loss of frac- , ion of a second might enable Cran- . ton to reach his knife. Thus Dan cit justified in ignoring the gun alto ether and truSting-as he had most esired-tO a battle of hands. And he Tanted both hands free when he made is attack.
 If Dan had been erect upon his feet, is course would have been an imme- fate leap on the shoulders of his ad- :, erSary. running the risk of CranSton /. eaching his hunting knife in time- T; tut the second that he would require 9 get to his feet would entirely offset his advantage. Cranston could spring ( D, too. So he did the next rnnSt dis