Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-07-02
Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown s. Co

anu SnoWDlru-l ulan ike MS looks.
He's too gaunt and he's too hungry
and l 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. I don't like him. and wouldn't
like his pack. And a whole pack might
not lose its nerve"
Then you think we'd better turn
back?"
yes, I do, and not come out any
more without a whole pocket of shells
I'm going to carry a rifle, too, just as
Lennox has always. He's got only
tiesh-wound You saw what you did
with two cartridges-got in one flesh
wound. Three Of 'em against pack
wouldn't be a great deal of aid.
don't mean TO say You can't shoot, but
a jumping, lively wolf is worse than
a bird in the air. We've gone over
three miles and he'd lead us ten miles
farther-even if he didn't go to the.
pack. Let's go back"
IF you say so. But I don't think
there's the least bit of danger. We
can always climb a tree"
sand have 'em make beautiful
circle under It! They've got more pa
thence than we haye-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 I'm not going
to think that way any more"
They turned back aud mushed in
silence long time.
81 suppose you'n think I'm a cow
ard" Dan asked Ter humbly.
"Only prudent, Dan" she answered.
smiling. Whether she meant 1t 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. 81 guess its 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 a big one
is close; and it's terribly hungry. And
you know--you can't help but know
that the wolves are not to be trusted
in famine times"
81 know 1t only too WE'LL 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 clump OF
exposed thicket on the hillside until
he saw two black dots. that he knew
were Dan and Snowbird, leave the
Lennox home. He lay very still as
they circled up the ridge, noticing
that except for the pistol that he
knew Snowbird always carried, they
were unarmed. There was no par
ticular reason why he should be Inter-
ested In that point 1t was Just the
mountain way always to look for
weapons. and it is rather difficult to
trace the mental processes behind this
impulse. Perhaps 1t can he 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 a long time he heard he
crack of Snowhird's pistol. lie
guessed that She had either shot at
some wild creature. or else was mere
" at target practice-rather a com
mon proceeding for the two when
they We're on the hills together Thus
1t IS to be seen that Cranston knew
their habits fairly well. And since he
bad kept q 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 to
do. lie had planned il all very we'll
The elder Lennox was stiU helpless.
Cranston had noticed that when Dan
and Suowbird went out. they we're
usually gone from two to four hours:
and that gave bin plenty OF time for
his undertaking The moment rad
come at last to make a thorough
search Of Lennox's house for chose IN.
eliminating documents that Dan had
found near the body Of Landy Iii
dieth.
The only really dangerous part Of
his undertaking was his approach. II
by any chance Lennox were looking
out Of the window he might be found
waiting with a rife across his arms.
It would be quite ike the old noun