Williams news., 1921-06-24

| the lesson of standing still, because his olive-drab sporting clothes blended
 softly with the colored leaves, Grams ton did not detect him. He turned | and strode 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 meditate on the matter,
 Dan started to shadow him.
 Before one hundred yards had been
 traversed, he could better understand
 the joy the cougar takes in his hunt
 ing. It 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 a curt- ous excitement.
 Cranston seemed to be moving more carefully now, examining the brush along the trail. Now and then he glanced up at the tree tops. And all at once he stopped and knelt in the dry shrubbery.
 At first all that Dan could see was lhS SIllcI OI d kIllc SkdAS- ton seemed to be whittling 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. It might be extremely likely that Cranston would choose the most plausible and effective means of preventing an inter- ruptfon 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 a tremendous headway be fore he could summon help. Although 1t 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, but 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 be endangered, besides the irreparable loss of timber. There were many things that Dan might do, but giving up was not one of them.
 After all, he did the wfsest 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, and for ,ne long instant in which the world l to have time in plenty to make complete revolution, he stood per 'ectly motionless. The match f1ared in ifs dark fingers, his eyes-full of sin ,ular conjecturfng on Dams ace. No instant of the latter'S life lad ever been fraught with greater peril. He understood perfectly what vas going on in Cranston's mind. The lre-fend was calmly deciding whether O shoot or whether to bluff it out )ne required no more moral courage han the other. It really didn't make
 great deal of difference to Cranston. But he decided that the killing was ot worth the cartridge. The other purse was too easy. He did not even ream that Dan had been shadowfng i'm and had seen his intention. He 7ould have laughed at the idea that a could thus walk behind i'm, unheard. Without concern, he catered with his foot the little heap f kindling, and slipping his pipe into Is mouth, he touched the f1aring latch to 1t. It was a wholly admir- ble little piece of acting, and would ave deceived any one who had not cen his previous preparations. Then e walked on down the trail toward 'an.
 Dan stopped and lighted his own ipe. It was a curious little truce. nd then he leaned back against the reat gray trunk of a fallen tree.
 Well, Cranston," he said civiliy. he men had met on previous oc- asions, and always there had been le same invisible war between them. = "How do you do, Failing" Cranston eplied- No perceptions could be so unt as to miss the premeditated in lit in the tone. He didn't speak in Is own tongue at all, the short, gut lral "Howdy" that Is the greeting the mountain men. He pronounced I the words with an exaggerated pre- sion, an unmfstakable mockery of ans own tone. In his accent he rev tone of sickly sweetness, and