Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-05-07

softly with the colored leaves, Grams
ton did not detect him. He turned
and strobe on down the trail.
He didn't move quite like a man
with innocent purposes. There was
something Stealthy. something sinister
in his stride, and the way he kept
such a sharp lookout in all directions.
Yet he never glanced to the trail for
deer tracks. as he would have done
had he been hunting. Without even
waiting to mediate on the matter.
Dan started 10 shadow him.
Before one hundred yards had been
traversed he could better understand
the joy the cougar takes in his hunt
ing. 1t was the same procesS-a eau
tiOus silent advance in the trail Of
prey. He had TO walk with the same
caution. he had to take advantage Of
the thickets. He began to feel Curl
Gus excitement.
Cranst0n seemed to be moving more
carefully now, examining the brush
along the trail. Now and then he
glanced up at the tree tops. And eli
at once he stopped and knelt in the
dry Shrubbery.
Al first all that Dan could see was
the glitter of a knife blade. Grams
ton seemed to be whiting a piece Of
dead pine into fine shavings. Now
he was gathering pine needles and
small twigs. making little pile of
them. And then. just as Cranston
drew his match. Dan saw his purpose.
Cranston was at his old trade--set-
ting a forest fire.
For two very good reasons Dan
didn't call TO him at once The two
reasons were that Cranston had rifle
and that Dan was unarmed. 1t might
be extremely likely that Cranston
would choose the most plausible and
effective means of preventing an inter
ruption of his crime, and by the same
token, prevent word of the crime ever
reaching the authorities The rifle
contained five cartridges. and only one
was needed.
But the idea of backing out, unseen
never even occurred TO Dan. The fire
would have tremendous Roadway be-
fore he could summon help. Although
it was near the lookout station. every
condition pointed to a disastrous fire
The brush was dry as finder. not so
heavy as TO choke the wind. hut yet
tall enough to carry the flame into
the tree tops. The stiff breeze up the
ridge would certainly carry the flame
for miles through the parched Divide
before help could come. In the mean
time stock and lives and homes would
he endangered, besides the irreparable
loss Of timber There We're many
things that Dan might do, but giving
up was not one of them.
After all. he did the wisest thing of
all He simply came out in plain sight
and uncOncernedly walked down the
trail toward Cranston At the same
instant, the latter struck his match.
AS Dan was no longer stalking,
Cranston Immediately heard his step.
He Whirled. recognized Dan. ana for
one long instant in which the world
seemed to have time in plenty to make
a complete revolution he stood per-
fectly motionless. The match flared in
his dark fingers, his eyes--fuu Of sin
gular conf eCturing-reSt on Dams
face. No instant Of the Iatter's life
had ever been fraught with greater
peril lie understood perfectly what
was going on in Cranston'S mind. The
fre-tend was calmly deciding whether
to shoot or whether TO bluff it ONT.
one required no more moral courage
than the other. It really didn't make
a great deal Of difference To Cranston.
But he decided that the killing was
not worth the cartridge The other.
course was too easy. He did not oven
dream that Dan had been shadaNing
him and had seen his intention. He
would have laughed at the idea That a
"tenderfoot' could thus walk behind
him, uuheard. Without concern he
scattered with his foot the little heap
Of kindling, and slipping his pipe into
his mouth, he touched the faring
match to II. It was a wholly admir-
able little piece of acting. and would
have deceived any one who had not
seen his previous preparations. Then
he walked on down the trail toward
Dan.
Dan stopped and lighted his own
pipe. It was a curious little truce.
And then he leaned back against the
great gray trunk of fallen tree.
"WeD. Cranston," he said civilty.
The men had met on previous oc-
casions, and always there had been
the same invisible war between them.
How do you do, Failing" Cranston
replied. No perceptions could be 50
blunt as TO miss the premeditated in.
suit in the tone. He didn't speak in
his own tongue at all, the short gut
tural "Howdy" that IS the greeting
Of the mountain men. He pronounced
all the words with an exaggerated pre-
cision. an unmistakable mockery Of
Dams own tone. In his accent he
threw a tone Of sickly swee. ess. and
his inference was al too plain. lie
was simply calling Failing a mllksop
and q white-liy,r; just as plainly as
if he had used the words.