The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1921-05-11
a great fire, that in the whole world Of

the most terrible truths of life are al
ways spoken In that same quiet voice.
Then both of them started across the
shoes would permit.
lie can crawl little" Dan called
to her. Don't give up. Snowbird
mine. ! think he'll be safe"
They mounted to the top of the
ridge; and the long sweep of the for
est was revealed TO them. The house
was a Singular tall pillar Of flame. al
ready glowing that dreadful red from
which firemen, despairng, turn away.
Then the girl seized his hands and
danced about him i'm mad circle.
Ties alive!" she cried. You can
see him-just dot on the snow. He
crawled out to safety"
She turned and sped at breakneck
pace down the ridge. Dan had 10 race
10 keep up with her. But 1t wasn't en-
tirely wise 10 try TO mush so fast. A
dead log lay beneath the snow with a
broken limb stretched almost. to its
surface, and Ii caught her snowshoe
The wood cracked sharply, and she fell
forward in the snow. But she wasn't
Of a small crack I'm the wood, was still
serviceable
"Haste makes waste" he told her.
keep your feet on the ground, Snow
bird; the house is gone already and
your father is safe. Remember what
lies before u.s."
The thought sobered and halted her.
She glanced once at the dark face Of
her companion. Dan couldn't under
stand the strange light that suddenly
leaped to her eyes. Perhaps she her.
self couldn't have explained the wave
of tenderness that swept over her.
with no cause except the look in Dams
cut so deep. Since the world was new,
ii has been the boast of the boldest Of
men that they looked their Fate in the
face. And this is no mean looking. For
fate is a sword from the darkness, a
power that reaches out of the mystery,
and cannot be classed with sights Of
human origin. 1t burns out the eyes
of all but the strongest men. Yet Dan
was looking at his fate now. and his
eyes held straight.
They walked together down to the
ruined house. and the three of them
sat silent while the fire burned red.
Then Lennon turned to them with a
half-smile.
You're wasting time, you two" he
said. Remember all our food is gone.
II you start now, and walk hard, may
he you can make II out"
There are several things to do
first" Dan answered simply.
II don't know what they are. 1t isn't
going to be any picnic, Dan. A man
can travel only so far without food to
keep up his strength particularly over
such ridges as you have TO cross. II
will be easy 10 give up and die. It's
the test, man; it's the test"
"And what about your his daugh-
ter asked
"Oh. I'll be all right. Besides-it's
the only thing that can be done. !
can't walk, and you can't carry me on
your backs. What else remains? I'll
stay here-and I'll scrape together
enough wood to keep a fire. Then you
can bring help"
He kept his eyes averted when he
talked. He was afraid for Dan 10 see
them, knowing that he could read the
lie in them.
"How do you expect to find wood
In this snow?" Dan asked him. 1T will
take four days to get out; do you
think you could lie here and battle
with fire for-four days, and then four
days more that 1t will take to come
back? You'd have two choices: to
burn green wood that I'd cut for you
before | left, or the rain-soaked dead
wood under the snow. You couldn't
keep either one of them burning, and
you'd die in a night. Besides-this is
no time for an unarmed man to be
alone in the hills"
Lennox's voice grew pleading. BE
sensible DAM" he cried. THAT
Cranston's got us, and got us right.
I've only one thing more / care about
and that is that you pay the debt i
can't hope to get out myself. l say
that can't even hope to. But II you
bring my daughter through-and when
spring comes. pay what we owe to
Cranston-Tll be content. Heavens,
son-Ive lived my life. The old pack
leader dies wheu his time comes, and
so does man."
His daughter crept to him and shell
tered his gray head against her
breast. "rll stay with you, them" she
cried.
Don't be little fool. Snowbird,"
he urged. my clothes are wet al
ready from the melted snow. It's too
long way-it will be too hard fight,
and children-Im old and tired out. i
don't want to make the try-hunger
and cold; and even II you'd stay here
and grub wood. Snowbird, they'd find
us both dead when they came back In
a week. We can't live without food,
and work and keep warm-and there
| isn't living creature In the hills"
n