Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-04-14
:
The Voice of
The Pack

quickly reached IN Cranston and the
dark, hot fumes IN his brain were
simply nothing more nor less thnn the
most poIapDous. bitter hatred. No
other word exists. II his class Of de-
generate mountain men had no other
accomplishment, they could hate. All
their lives they practIced the emotion:
hatred Of their neighbors, hatred Of
law. hatred OF civilization 10 all It's
forms. Besides. this kind OF hiIEman
hnbituaily fought his duels with rides.
Hands were not deadly enough,
But Dan WINS past his gunrd before
he had time to raise his gun. The
whole attack ws one Of the most
astounding surprises OF Cranston's life.
Dams body struck his his fists failed.
aud 20 protect himself. Cranston was
obliged to drop the rifle. They stag
gered. as II IN some weird dance. on
the trail; and their arms clnsped IN
a cllnch.
For a long instant they stood strain
Ing. seemingly motIonless. Cranstop's
|rowerflsl body had stood up well under
the shock Of Dan's leap. II was =
hand-to.hand battle now. The rifle
had siIG on down the hillside, 10 be
caught In clump Of brush twenty
feet below. Dan called on every ounce
OF his strength. bccanse he knew what
mercy he might expect n Cranston
mastered him. The battles 0f the
mountains were battles to the death.
They flung bnck and forth. wrench.
Ing shoulders. lnshing flsts. teeth md
feet and fingers. There were no Mar
quis Of Queensberry rules IN this bat
tie. Again ard agnln Dan sent home
hIe blows; but they all seemed lnef.
fcctive. BY now. CranstoD had com
plesely overcome the moments adyan-
inge the other had obtained BY The
power OF hts leap. lie huricd Dan
from tho cIinch and lasIled Of him
with hard aats.
n is q very common thing 20 hear
OF silent fight finf " a really
more rare occurrence Than most PEG
nle believe. II IA true thai serpents
viii often fghi IN The strongest. most
ecrie silence: but human beings are
not scrpents. They pnrfnke more ~
the qualities ~ the mcat-eaicrs-- The
wolves and fplines After the FIRST
Instant. the noise ~ the nsht aFoused
the Whole hillside THE sound ~ blows
was IN itself notabis and besides, beth
n the men were bowling the pritn-
oriIal battle cries OF hntrcd md ven.
Rennce.
FOR two long minutes Pan fought
With the strength Of desperation sum-
moBinr ~ lasi MI that myEscriogs 70.
serve force wiih which an men are
horn. But he was playing losing
RHme. The malndy with which 30 had
suffered had taken too much ~ hls
yieor. Even M he struggled. u seemed
~ him that The Vista shout him. tic
dark Pines The cOlored icasra 81 the
perennial shrnbllery, The yellow path
we're al ohwcnrea ID strnHre. whsgs
mist. A great wind roared IN bis carp
--and his heart WIS evidently about
70 ahiycr 10 pieces
tut sim he fought on. not daring 70
yield. lie could no longer parry Grams
toms blows The latiersa arms went
around him 10 ono Of those dcndly
holds thar wFcstierA know; and Dan
struggled IN gain 20 free himself,
Cranaon's face Itself seemed hIdenDs
aud unreal IN the mist that WINS creep
ing over him. lie did nos recognize
The curious thumplsg sound as CrRns
toms fists on bis flesh And now
cranNt0n had hurled him on his feet
Nothing mnttered further. ITO had
fought the best he could This CRUEL
beast could pounce on him ~ will
and hammer away his life. Hni atm
he struggled. Except FOR HE constant
play Of his muscles. bis almost an.
conscious effort TO free himself ,hat
kept one OF CrnnHnn's arms bnay
holding him dnwn. that fight on the
mountain path might have come 70
sudden end. Human bodies ran stand
n terrific punishment; but Dams WINS
weakened from the ranges ~ his
disease. Besides. crunston would soon
have both hands and both feet free for
the work. and when these -four ter.
rihie weapons are used at once. tho
lsxue- soon or inie--can never be n
donbs.
But even now. consciousness STU
fingered. Dan could hear HIS cnemy's
curses land far up the trail. he heard
another. stranger sound. II sounded
Ike some one running.
And then be dimly knew that Gran
sion wns climbing from his body.
Voices we're speaking quick. com
handing voices Just over him. Above
crHBsfon's savage curses another voice
rang clear, and 10 Dams eaFs, glorious
beyond all human utternnce.
He opened his tortured eyes. The
nists lifted from ~ front Of them. and
the whole drama was revealed. Il had
not been sudden mercy thar had driven
Cranaton from his body. JUST when bis
Victims falling Inconsistencies would
have put him completely IN hts power.
Rather II was something black and
somlnons that even now was pointed
squareIy at cranston's breast
None too soon. ranger Of the Hill
had heard the sounds Of the struggle,
and had left the trusting place al the
spring 10 come TO Dams aid. II was
Snowbird. very pale hut wholly self
sufficient and determined and intent.
Her pistol was cooked and ready.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.