The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-01-20

looked surprised at these amazing re.
grets over the lost. unsavory flesh Of
a wolf. They were up against reali-
ties, and they didn't mince words.
ipnn sniiieu al per gently. and MS
great shoulder leaned against the
traces.
They moved through n dead world.
The ever-present manifestations of
wild life that had been such a delight
to Dan In the summer and fall were
quite lacking now. The snow was
trackless. Once they thought they
saw a snowshoe rabbit, strange
shadow on the snow, but he was too
far away for Snowbird to risk a pis
tol shot. The pound or two of flesh
would be sorely needed before the
Journey was over. but the pistol car
tridges might be needed still more.
she didn't let her mind rest on certain
possibilities wherein they might be
needed. Such thoughts stole the cour-
age from the spirit. and courage was
essential beyond all things else to
bring them through.
As the dawn came out, they all
stood still and listened to the wolf
pack. singing on the ridge somewhere
behind them.
1t was large pack. They couldn't
make out individual voices-neither
the more shrill cry of the females, the
yapping of the cubs. or the low. clear
G-below-middle-C note of the males.
"If they should cross our tracks"
Lennox suggested.
mo use worrying about that now
not until we come to it." Dan told
him.
The morning broke, the sun rose
bright In clear sky. But still they
trudged on. In spite of the fact that
the sled was heavy and broke through
the snow crust as they tugged at 1t,
they had made good time since their
departure. But now every step was
pronounced effort. 1t was the dread
full beginning of fatigue that only
food and warmth and rest could
rectify.
well rest now" Dan told them at
ten o'clock. 1.-THE sun is warm enough
so that we won't need much of fire.
And we'll try to get five hours Sleep"
TOO long. If we're going 20 make II
out" Lennox objected.
"That leaves workday of nineteen
hours" Dan persisted. mot any too
little. Five hours It will be-"
He found where the snow had drift
ed against a great. dead log. leaving
the white covering only a foot in
depth on the lee side. He began to
scrape the snow away. then hacked at
the log with his AK until he had pro-
cured piece of comparatively dry
wood from its center. They all stood
breathless while he lighted the little
pile Of kindling and heaped 1t with
green wood-the only wood procur-
able. But it didn't burn freely. 1t
smoked fitfully. threatening to die out.
and emitting very little heat.
But they didn't particularly care.
The sun was warm above. as always
in the mountain winters of southern
Oregon. Snowbird and Dan cleared
spaces beside the fire and slept. Len
nox. who had rested on the journey,
lay on his sled and with his uninjured
arm tried to hack enough wood from
the saplings that Dan had cut to keep
the fire burning.
At three they got up. still tired and
aching In their bones from exposure.
Twenty-four hours had passed since
they had tasted food, and their unre-
plenished systems complained. There
is no better engine In the wide world
than the human body. It will stand
more neglect and abuse than the finest
steel motors ever made by the hands
Of craftsmen. A man may fast many
days II he lies quietly in one place
and keeps warm. But fasting is a
deadly proposition while pulling
sledges over the snow.
Dan was less hopeful now. His face
told what his words did not The
lines cleft deeper about his lips and
eyes; and Snowbird's heart ached
when he tried to encourage her with
smile. II was wan. strange smile
that couldn't quite hide the first sick
ness Of despair.
The shadows quickly lengthened-
simply leaping over the snow from the
fast-falling sun. The twilight deep
l
ened. the snow turned gray, and then.
In vague way. the journey began to
partake of a quality Of unreality. It
was not tina. the cold and the snow
and their hunger were not entirely
real. or that the wilderness was no
longer naked TO their eyes. II was just
that their whole effort seemed like
some dreadful. unburdened journey In
dream-a stumbling advance under
difficulties too many and real to be
true
The first sign was the far-ofr cry
of the wolf pack. II was very faint.
simply stir in the eardrums. yet II
was entirely clear. That clear. cold
mountain air was n perfect telephone
system. conveying n message distinct
ly. no matter how family. There
were no tall buildings or cities to dis