The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1921-02-23

down, and the white teeth closed. All
the long life Of his race he had known
that pungent essence that flowed forth.
His senses perceived II, message
shot along his nerves 10 his brain. And
then he opened his mouth i'm Il high,
far-carrying squeal of utter, abject
terror.
He sprang full fifteen feet back
into the thickctS: then crouched. The
hair stood still at his shoulders. his
claws were barred: he was prepared
TO fight 10 the death. He didn't under
stand He only knew the worst single
terror OF his life. 1t was not q doe
that he had attacked i'm the darkness.
Ii was not UrSon the pOrcupine. or
even Wool. II was that imperial mas
ter Of all things. man himself. I'm
knowing. he had attacked Landy Hill
dreth. lying wounded from Cranston's
bullet beside the trail. Word OF the
arson ring would never reach the set
dement's. after'all.
And as for WhiSpcrfoot-the terror
that choked his heart with blood be-
gan 10 wear on in little while. The
man lay so still in the thickets. Be
sides. there was strange, wild smell
In the air Whisperfoots stroke had
gone home 50 true there had not even
been a fight. Tile darkness began to
lift around him. and a strange exulta-
ton. n rapture unknown before i'm all
his hunting. began 10 creep into his
wild blood. Then. as n shadow steals.
he went creeping back 10 his dead.
Dan Failing had been studying ma
ture on the high ridges; and he Went
home by back trail that led 10 old
Bald mountain. The trail was jus
n narrow serpent in the brush: and
il had not been made by gangs OF
laborers. working with Shoves and
picks, Possibly half dozen white
men, in all had ever walked along IT,
II was Just the path OF the wild crea-
lures. worn down by hoof and paw
and cushion since the young days Of
tho world
II was roundabout trail home
y
him within two miles Of Snowbird's
lookout station. and at this hour Of
day he had been particularly fortunate
in finding her AT a certain spring on
the mountain side. 1t was rather sin
gular coincidence. Along about four
he would usually find himself wander
ing up that way. Strangely enough
at the same time, ii was true that
she had an irresistible impulse TO go
down and sit in the green ferns beside
the same spring. They always seemed
TO be surprised TO see one another. In
reality. either OF them would have
been considerably more surprised had
the other failed 10 put in an appear.
ance. And always they had long talks.
as the afternoon drew to twilight.
But ! don't think you ought to wait
so late before starting home" the girl
would always say. You're not n
human hawk, and IT is easier to get
lost than you think"
And this Solicitude. Dan rightly fig-
ured, was good sign. There was
only one objection to it. 1t resulted
In an unmistakble Inference that she
considered him unable to take care
OF himself-and that was the last
thing on earth that he wanted her
to think. He understood her well
enough 10 know that her standards
were the standards of the mountains,
valuing strength and self-reliance
above all things lie didn't stop 10
question why, every day, he trod so
many weary miles to be with her.
She was as natural as a fawn; and
many times she had quite taken away
his breath. And once she did II liter
ally. He didn't think that so long az
death spared him he would ever be
able TO forget that experience. 1t was
her birthday, and knowing OF IL In
time he had arranged for the delivery
OF certain package, dear to a girlish
heart, at her fathers house. In the
trysting hour he had come trudging
over the hills with II, and few expert
ences In his life had ever yielded such
unmitlgated pleasure as the sight OF
her. glowing white and red, as she took
on its wrapping paper. 1t was jolly
old gift, he recollected-and when she
had seen II, she fairly leaped at him.
Her warm, round arms around his
neck, and the softest, lovellest lips in
the world pressed his. But In those
days he didn't have the strength that
he had now. He felt he could endure
the same experience again with no
embarrassment whatever. His first Inn
preston then. besides Astounding, In
credible establishment, was that she
had quite knocked out his breath. But
let Il be said for him that he recov-
cred with notable promptness. His
own arms had gone up and closed
around her. and the girl had wrlggled
free.
but you mustn't do that - she told
him.
But, good Lord, girl You did Il
to met Is there no justice In women1"
nstN % t.