The Belding banner-news., 1921-06-01

to talk about finding Crahstons win
ter quarters, and then, with my bare
hands. conquering him. taking his food
and his blankets and his snowshoes
and his rifle, 10 fight away these
wolves. and bringing 'em back here"
you wouldn't be barehanded," the
girl reminded him. "You could have
the pistol"
He didn't even seem to hear her.
I've been thinking about II. It's a
long, long chance--much worse than
the chance we had of getting out by
straight walking | think we could
have made II. If the wolves had kept
off and the snowshoe hadn't broken.
Ii would have nearly killed us, but
believe we could have got out. That's
why ! didn't try this other way first.
A man with his bare hands hasn't
much of chance against another with
a rifle and | don't want you 10 be too
hopeful. And of course, the hardest
problem is finding his camp.
t"But | do feel sure of one thing
that he is back TO his old trapping line
on the North Fork-somewhere south
of here-and his camp is somewhere
on the river | think he would have
gone there so that he could cut off any
attempt might make 10 get through
with those letters. My plan is TO start
back at an angle that will carry me
between the North Fork and our old
house. Somewhere I'm there I'll find
his tracks. the tracks he made when
he first came over 10 burn up the
house. ] suppose he was careful to
mix 'em up after once he arrived
here. but the first part of the way he
likely walked straight toward the
house from his camp. Somewhere. II I
90 that way, I'll cross his trail-with-
in 10 miles AT least. Then I'll back.
track him to his camp"
And never come back :" the girl
cried
Maybe not But at least every
thing that can be done will be done
Nothing will be left. No regrets. We
will have made the last trial. I'm not
going To waste any time, Snowbird.
The sooner we get your fire built the
better"
Father and | are TO stay here"
What else can you do?" He went
back 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.
He refused to notice that the pack
seemed 10 he steadily growing bolder.
Human hunters usually had guns that
could blast and destroy from a dis
tance; but even an animal inteli-
gence could perceive that these three
seemed to be without this means of
inflicting death.
A wolf is. ever so much more intelli-
gent than a crow-yet crow shows
little fear of an unarmed man and is
wholly unapproachable by a boy with
a gun. The ugly truth was simply that
In their increasing madness and ex-
citement and hunger, they were becom-
ing less and less fearful of these three
strange humans with the sled.
1t was not good place for camp.
They worked long time before they
cleared little patch of ground Of its
snow mantle. Dan cut a number of
aplings-laboriousl with his ax--and
bnilt fire with the comparatively
dry core OF dead tree. True, IL was
feeble. and flickering, but as good as
could he hoped for, considering the
difficulties under which he worked
The dead logs under the snow were
soaked with water from the rains and
thaws. The green wood that he cut
smoked without blazing.
mo more time to be lost" Dan told
SnowbIrd at 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-
lieving, "that you are going to go out
there TO fight Cranston-unarmed?"
"Of course, Snowblrd. You must
keep the pistol"
But 1t means death that's all II
means. What chance would you have
against a man with rife? And as
soon as you get away from this fire,
the wolves will tear you to pieces"
"And what would you and your fa-
ther do, IL took It? You can't get
him into a tree. You can't build
big enough, fire to frighten them.
Please don't even talk about this mat
ter, Snowbird My minds made up. I
think, the pack wilr'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
Hives"
whats the chance of that?"
"You might-with one c9rtridge-
kill one of the devils; and the others
but you know how they devour their
own dead. That might break their
famine enough so that they'd hold of
until can get back. That's the prize
I'm playing for"
f"And what n vou don't rot ha ck 30