Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-07-30
CHAPTER Il-continued.

nack to his traces and drew the sled
100 yards farther. He DIDN'T seem to
see the gaunt wolf that backed off
into the shadows as he approached
lie refused to notice that the pack
seemed to be steadily growing holder.
Human hunters usually had guns that
could blast and destroy from a dis
-ance; but even an animal lnteh-
gence could perceive that these three
seemed to be without this means of
inhicting death.
A wolf is ever so much more intelli-
gent than a cr0w-yet a crow shows
little fear Of an unarmed man and is
wholly unapQroachable by a boy with
q gun. The Ugly truth was simply that
In their increasing madness and ex-
element and hunger, they were becom-
ing less and less fearful of these three
strange humans with the sled.
1t was not good place fo.' camp.
They worked a long time before they
cleared little patch of ground of its
snow mantle. Dan cut a number of
saplngs-laboriously with his ax-and
built a fire with the comparatively
dry core of a dead tree. True, it was
feeble and Pickering, but as good as
could be hoped for, considering the
difficulties under which he worked.
The dead logs under the snow were
soaked with water from the rains and
ghaws. The green wood that he cut
smoked without blazing.
NO more time to be lost" Dan told
Sn0wbird. "It lies in your hands to
keep the fire burning. And don't leave
the circle of the fire light without
that pistol in your hand"
You don't mean," she asked, unbe-
neying, that you are going to go out
there to fight Cranston-unarmed?
"Of course, Snowbird. You must
Keep the pistol"
But it means death; that's all It
means. What chance would you have
against man with a rifle? And as
soon as you get away from this fire,
she wolves viii tear you to pieces"
And what would you and your IA
Their do, if / took It? You can't get
him into a tree. You can't build a
big enough fire to brighten them.
Please don't even talk about this mat
ter, Snowbird. My minds made up.
think he pack will stay here. They
usually-God knows how-know who
IS helpless and who isn't. Maybe with
the gun, you will be able to save your
lves."
WHAT'S the chance of that?"
You might-with one cartridge
EiIl one of the devils; and the others
but you know how they devour their
own dead That might break their
canine enough so that they'd hold off
until l can get back. That's the prize
Am playing for"
And what if you don't get back?"
lie took her hand in one of his, and
with the other he caressed. for a sin
ale moment, the lovely flesh of her
throat The love he had for her spoke
trom his eyes-sueh speech as no hui
man vision could possibly mistake.
Both of them were tingling and breath
Tess with great, sweet wonder.
Never let those fangs tear that
eoftness, while you live" he told here
gently. "Never let that brave old man
ON the sled go to his death with the
pack tearing at him. Cheat 'em,
e1oWbird! Beat 'em the last minute.
il ITO other way remainsl Show 'em
who's boss, after all-of all this for
est"
You mean" Her eyes widened
u mean that you must only spend
one Of those three shells in fighting
OH the wolves. Save that till the mo-
ment you need it most. The other
two must be saved-for something
else
She nodded, shuddering an instant
al a menacing shadow that moved
within 60 feet Of the fire.
Then goodbv, Dan!" she told him.
ana She stretched up her arms. 1.-THE
thing l said-that day on the hillside
doesn't hold any more"
HIS own arms encircled her. but he
HaHe no effort to claim her lips. Len
loE watched them quietly; in this
moment of crisis not even pretending
lo Jock away. Dan shook his head to
Aei entreating eyes. at isn't just a
Kiss darling" he told her soberly. ct
gives deeper than that. It's a symbol.
At 'as your word, too, and mine; and
words can't he broken, things being as
-'ey are Can't make you under
s,euaT"
Size nodded. His eyes burned. Per
"''s she didn't understand. as far as
vi functioning of the brain was
a.er7ed But she reached up TO
''-' as women-knowing life in the
1efete rather than the abstract
gave always reached up to men; and
-nly caught the gleam Of some
I.al principle and right behind his
as This strong man Of the noun
"as lad given his word. had been
...aess 90 her own promise to him
an - herself, and law that goes
3" 70 the roots OF life prevented
rom claiming the kiss.
aay times, since the world YVES
eonforr-happiness-Iife itself