The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-04-07
CHAPTER discontinued.

u
He looked up, and the whole weird
picture was thrown upon the retlna Of
his eyes. The coyote was still racing
straight toward Dan, a gray demon
that In bis madness was more terrible
than any charging bear or elk. For
there is an element Of horror about
the insane, whether beasts or men,
that cannot be denied. Both men felt
II, with a chill that seemed TO pene-
trate clear TO their hearts. The eyes
famed, the white fangs Of Graycoat
caught the sunlight. And Dan stood
erect in his path, his rifle half raised
90 his shoulder and even in that first
frenzied instant In which Lenpox
looked at him. he saw there wsk a
strange impassiveness, a singular Inn
perturbability on HIS face.
"Shoot, manw Lennox shouted.
"Yhat are you waiting for?"
But Dan didn't shoot. His hand
whipped to his face, and he snatched
of his thlck-lensed glasses. The eyes
that were revealed were narrow and
deeply intent. And by now, the fren-
zied coyote was not fifty feet distant.
All that had occurred since the anil
NAL charged had possibly taken five
seconds. Sometimes five seconds is
just a breath; but as Lennox waited
for Dan to shoot, II seemed like a
period wholly without limit. He won
dered IL the younger man had fallen
into that strange paralysis that a
great terror sometimes imbues.
"Shootlw he screamed again.
But II Is doubtful If Dan even heard
his shout. AT that instant his gun
slid into place, his head lowered, his
eyes seemed to burn along the glitter
ing barrel. His finger pressed back
against the trigger. and the roar of
the report rocked through the summer
air.
The n was of large callber; and
no living creature could stand against
the furious, shocking power of the
great bullet. The lead went straight
home. full through the neck and slant
ing down through the breast, and the
coyote recoiIed as II an. Irresistible
hand had smitten him. II Is doubtful
II there was eve a muscular culver
after Graycoat struck the ground, not
twenty feet from where Dan stood.
And the rifle report echoed backsto
find only silence.
Lennox got up Off the ground and
moved owe toward the dead coyote.
lie looked a long time at the gray
body. And then he stepped back to
where Dan waited on the trail.
II take It all back" he said simply.
"You take what backr'
"What l thought about you--that
the Failing line had gone to the dogs.
I'll never call you a tenderfoot again.
But tell me one thing. / saw the
way you looked down the barrel. l
could see how firm you held the rife
the way you kept your head. And
that Is al like your grandfather. But
why, when you had a repeating rifle.
did you wait 8 o long to shoot?"
II Just had one cartridge in my gun.
i didn't think Of It until the coyote
charged"
Lennox's answer was the last thing
IN the world to be expected. He
opened his straight mouth and uttered
q great. boyish yell of Joy. His eyes
seemed to light. The eyes OF the two
mcn met. and Lennox shook him by
The shoulder.
you're not Dan Faiiing's grandson
you're Dan Failing bimselfW he
shouted. .sNo one but him would have
bad s~elf-control to wait till the game
was almost on top Of him-no one but
HIM would have kept his head n a
time like this. You're Dan Failing
himself. / tell you, come back to
Serth. Grandson nothingk You're q
thrxwback. and now you've got those
masses on. I can see< his eyes looking
risbt out OF yours. Step on 'en DAN
ron1i never need 'em again. And give
Is ti9f 'dex &C dying II four months