The Bossier banner., 1921-07-14

"l'm sorry. DAM she told him. .YouI
nied so hard"
Just one little sound broke from his
tnroat-a strange. deep gasp that
could not be suppressed. Then he
caught her hand In his and kissed it,
again and again. ''Do you think / care
about that?" he asked her. II only
wish could have done more-and
what ! have done doesn't count. just
as IN my fight with Cranston. nothing
counts because didn't win. It's just
fate. SnOwbird. It's no ones fault, but
maybe. in this world, nothing is ever
anyone's fault" For in the twilight OF
those winter woods. In the shadow Of
death itself. perhaps he was catching
gllmmerings OF eternal truths that are
hidden from all but the most far-see-
Ing eyes.
And this Is the end7" she asked
nim. She spoke very bravely.
NO" His hand tightened on hers.
mo, so long as an ounce Of strength
remains. To 6ght-never to give up
may God give me spirit for 1t till l
die.
And this was no idle prayer. His
eyes raised to the starry sky as he
spoke.
"But, son." Lennox asked him rath-
er quietly. "what can you do7 The
wolves aren't going to wait a great
deal longer. and we can't go on"
There's one thing more-one more
trial to make" Dan answered. .T
thought about 1t at first. but 1t was too
long chance to try II there was any
other way. And suppose you thought
Of It too"
"Overtaking Cranston?"
"Of course. And 1t sounds like a
crazy dream. But listen, both Of you.
Il We have got to die, up here In the
snow-and It looks like we had-what
Is the thing you want done worst be-
fore we go?"
Lennox's hands clasped. and he
leaned forward on the sled. "Pay
.Cranston r he said.
"Yesl" Dams voice rang. "Crans-
tons never going to be paid unless we
do It. There will be no signs of In
cendiarism at the house, and no
proofs. They'll f1nd our bodies in the
snow. and wen just be a mystery.
with no one made to pay. The evi-
dence In my pocket will be taken by
Cranston. some time this winter. II
don't make him pay, he never will pay.
And that's one reason why I'm going
to try to carry out this plan I've got
.srhe second reason is that It's the
one hope we have left. take It that
none OF us are deceived on that point
And no man can die tamely-if he Il
q man-while there's q chance. mean
q young man, like me-not one who II
old and tired. It sounds perfectly silly
to talk about finding Cranston's win
ter quarters. and then, with my bart
hands, conquerlng him, taking his foot
aud his blankets and his snowshOe.
and his rifle, to fight away thes.
wolves. and bringing 'em back here.
you wouldn't be barehanded,," tn
girl reminded him. "You could hav
the pistol"
He didn't even seem to hear hel
I've been thinking about 1t. It's
long, long chance much worse thai
the chance we had Of getting out b
straight walking. ]. think we coul
have made It, II the wolves had KEEP
OF and the snowshoe hadn't broker
II would have nearly killed us, but
believe we could have got out That
why didn't try this other way frs
4 man with his bare hands hasn
much of chance against another wit
rifle. ahd don't want You to be to
hopeful. And of course, the hardes
problem is finding his camp.
"But do feel sure Of one thing
| that he is back to his old trapping lin
on the North Fork-s0mewhere sOut
! Of here-and his camp Is somewhel
I on the river think he would hay
gone there so that he could cut off an
I attempt might make to get throue
! with those letters. My plan Is to sta
I back at an angle that will carry n
! between the North Fork and our O