The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-04-15
Copyright, 1920. by Little. Brown 6 Co.

He's too gaunt and he's too hungry
and ! haven't a bit of doubt he waited
in that brush for us to come. intend
! ing to attack us--and lost his nerve
the last thing That shows he's des-
! perate don't Ike him. and wouldn't
like his pack. And whole pack might
not lose its nerve"
"Then you think we'd better turn
back?".
Yes, do, and not come out any
more without whole pocket of shells.
Tn going to carry a rife, too, just as
Lennox has always. He's got only a
flesh-wound. You saw what Won did
with two cartridges-got in one flesh
wound. Three of em against pack
wouldn't be great deal Of aid I
don't mean 10 say You can't shoot, but
a jumping lively wolf is worse than
a bird in the air. We've gone over
three miles aud he'd lead us ten miles
farther-even II he didn't 20 to the
pack. Let's go back"
"If you say so. But | don't think
there's the least hit Of danger We
can always climb tree"
"And have 'em make beautiful
circle under it, They've got more pa
thence than we have-and we'd have
to come down some time Your father
can't come TO our help, you know IT'S
the sign Of the tenderfoot not to think
there's any danger-and Tn not going
TO think that way any more"
They turned back and mushed In
silence long time.
81 suppose you'll think I'm COW
ard" Dan asked her humbly.
"Only prudent. DAN" she answered,
smiling. Whether she meant II he did
not know. I'm just beginning to IN
derstand that yOu-living here only a
few mOnths-really know and under
stand all this better than do" She
stretched her arms wide to the wilder
ness II guess it's your instinct"
"And | do understand" he told her
earnestly. 81 sensed danger back
there Just as sure as | can see your
face That packard it's big one
is close and It's terribly hungry. And
you know--y0u can't help but know
that the wolves are not to be trusted
in famine times"
II know 1t only too WELL" she said.
Then she paused and asked him
about strange grayness, like snow
blown by the wind, on the sky over
the ridge.
Bert Cranston waited in a clump OF
exposed thicket on the hillside until
he saw two black dots. that he knew
were Dan and Snowblrd leave the
Lennox home. He lay very still as
they circed up the ridge, noticing
that except for the pistol that he
knew Snowbird always carried, they
were unarmed, There was no par
ticnlar reason why he should be inter-
ested in that point. II was just the
mountain way always to look for
weapons, and II Is rather difficult to
trace the mental processes behind this
impulse. Perhaps II can be laid to
the fact that many mountain families
are often at feud with one another,
and anything in the way of violence
may happen before the morning.
The two passed out of his sight.
and after long time he heard the
crack of Snowbirds pistol. He
guessed that she had either shot at
some wild creature. or else was mere
ly at target prsctlce-rather a com
mon proceeding for the two when
they were on the hills together. Thus
II Is to be seen that Cranst0n knew
their habits fairly well. And since he
had kept close watch upon them for
several days. this was to be expected
He had no intention OF being inter-
rupted in this work he was about Ia
do. He had planned II all very well.
| The elder Lennox was still helpless.
Cranston had noticed that when Dan,
and Snowblrd went out. they were
usually gone from two to four hours:
and that gave him plenty of time for
his undertaking. The moment had
come at last to make a thorough
search OF Lennox's house for those In
eliminating documents that Dan had
found near the body OF Landy Hill
| dreth.
The only really dangerous part OF
his undertaking was his approach. n
by any chance Lennox were looking
| out of the window, he might be found
waiting with a rife across his arms.
II would be quite like the old noun
ta,neer to have his gun beside him.
and TO shoot IL quick and exceptional
" straight. without asking questions,
| nj any stealing figure In the snow. Yet
Cranston felt fairly sure that Lennnx
was still too helpless to raise gun
10 shooting position.
He had observed that the noun
+, taineer spent his time either on the
| fireplace divan or on his own bel.
Neither of these places was available
70 the rear windows Of the house So.
very wisely. he made his attack from
the rear.
1