The Bossier banner., 1921-06-23


not dare to think.
OF course they might be feeding on
the body of deer, mortally wounded
by some hunter. He resolved to ride
by without investigating. He glanced
up. The buzzards were lowering in
the sky, evidently waiting for him to
pass. Then, mostly to relieve q curl I
GUS sense Of discomfort in his own
mind, he stopped his horse and dis |
mounted.
The twilight had started to fall, and
already its first grayness had begun
10 soften the harder lines OF forest
and hill. And after his first glance at
the curious white heap beside the
trail, he was extremely glad that 1t
had. But there was no chance to mis-
take the thing. The elements and
much more terrible agents had each
wrought their change, yet there was
grisly evidence in plenty to show what
had occurred. Dan didn't doubt for
an instant but that 1t was the skele-
ton of Landy Hildreth.
He forced himself to go nearer. The
buzzards were almost done, and one
white bone from the shoulder gave un-
mistakahle evidence of the passage OF
bullet. What had happened there
after. he could only guess
He got back quickly on his horse.
He understood. now, why nothing had
been heard Of the evidence that Landy
l. 70
courts as to the activities of the arson
ring. Some one-prObably Bert Gran
ston himself-had been waiting on the
trail. Others had come thereafter.
And his lips set in his resolve to let
this murder measure in the debt he
had to- pay Cranston.
The Lennox house seemed very 81
| lent when, almost an hour later, he
turned his horse into the corral. He
| had rather hoped that SnOwbird would
be at the door to meet him. The dark
ness had just fallen. and all the lamps
were lighted. He strobe into the liv-
ing room, warming his hands an in
slant besitle the fireplace. The fire
needed fuel. It had evidently been
neglected for nearly an hour.
Then he called Snowbird. His voice
echoed in the silent room. unanswered.
He called again, then went to look for
her. At the door of the dining room
i he found the note that she had left
for him.
/ 1t told, very simply and plainly, that
her father lay injured in his bed. and
he was to remain and do what ne
could for him. She had gone for help
to the ranger station.
He leaped through the rooms to Len
nox's deor. then went in on tiptoe
And the first thing he saw when he
opened the door was the grizzled
mans gray face on the pillow.
"You're home early, Dan." he said
allow many did you get?"
It was entirely characteristic
Shaggy old Woof is too proud to how
over the wounds that lay him low, and
this gray old bear on the bed had par
taken Of his spirit.
"Good Lord" Dan answered. "Hov
badly are you hurt?"
.sNot so bad but that Tn sorry tina
Snowbird has gone drifting twelve
miles over the hills for help. IT.
dark as pitch"
And 1t was. Dan could scarcel.
make out the outline of the sOmbe
ridges against the sky.
They talked on, and their subjec
was whether Dam should remain t
| take care Of LennOx. or, whether h
should attempt to Overtake Snowbir
with the horse. OF course the gil
| had ordered him to stay. Lennox, o
the other hand. said that Dan coul
not help him in the least, and desire
| him to follow the girl.
l. "I'm not often anxious about her,
| he said slowly. "But It is a long wal
i through the widest part of the D
vide. Some way-I can't bar accident
i tonight. I don't like to think of he
on those mountains alone"
4 And remembering what had lain b
side the trail, Dan felt the same. II
had heard. jong ago. that any amin,
that once tasted human flesh loses Il
fear of men and is never to be truste
again. Some wild animal that sti
hunted the ridges had. in the la
70 month, done just that thing. He le
e the room and walked softly to Il
door.
The night lay silent and mysterio,
IT over the Divide. He stood listenin
,e The girl had started only an hour
e. fore, and 1t was unlikely that 81
ID could have traversed more than tv
miles Of the steep trail in that tim
lie Although the horse ordinarily did a
ii climb a hill more swiftly than h
rs man being, he didn't doubt but tn
ye he could overtake her before 81
r. went three miles farther. But whe
ip lay his duty-with the injured mi
Of In the house or with the daughter I
ID her errand Of mercy in the darkness
g. Then the matter was decided T
IN him. So faint that 1t only whisper
ID at the dim, outer frontiers OF heariT
i'd sound came pricking through T
H. darkness. Only his months of liste
| ;rc - tp,o faint cnundS nf tho fore