Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-06-30

DAD Fsade q wiee desors. coming In
about thirty yards behind the conssrrc.
Hon Still he moved with Incredible
cautiuh: Neyer 10 hts life had. he pos
sssssd = greater mastery over his oxn
Jssfses- His heart .leapai. somewhat
fast In his own breast: bu; this was
the only wasted motion. 10 isn't easy
70 ADVANCE through such thickeis with
out ever Q tnisstep. without the rustic
or branch or the crack Of iwis.
Certain of the wild creatures. and n
easy; hut men have forgotten how In
too many eenturies Of cities and farms.
II b hardly q human quality, and a
spectator would have found a rather
ghastiy fascination In watching the
'iithe motions. the passIonless face. the
hands that didn't shake Mt all. But
there were no spectators-unIess the
little hand OF wolves, stragglers from
the pack that had gathered on the hills
behind-watched with lighted eyes.
Dan went down at full length upon
the snow and softly removed his snow
shoes. They would be Gully m impedI-
ment In the close work that was sure
TO follow. He slid along the snow
crust, clear to the mouth OF the iean-to.
The moonlight poured through and
showed the interior with rather re-
markable plainness. Cranston was
sprawied. half-sitting. haif-IyIng on a
tree-bough pallet near the rear wall.
There was not the slightest doubt of
the mans wakefulness. Dan heard
him stir. and once-as II at the men,
DRY Of his deed OF the day before-he
cursed In savage whisper. Although
ne was facing the opening Of the lean
to- he was wholly unaware OF Dams
FFeEeRea Ihe latter had thrust his
head .at the side OF re SBEEfWw~THrsu
10 was In shadow. Cranston seemed
90 be watching the great. white snow
heIus linfSaps. and for q mo-
ment Dan was at loss to exp5afu this
seeming vigil. Then he understood,
The white field before him was part
OF the long ridge that the three Of
them wouid pass on their way to the
valleys. Cranston had evidently an
ticipated that the Errl and the man
would attempt 20 march .out--even II
he hadn't guessed they. would try to
take the helpless Lennox with them
and he wished to be prepared for
emergencies. There might be sport to
have with Dan. unarmed as he was.
And his eyes were full of strange con-
lectures In regard to Snowbird. Both
would be exhausted now apd helpless
Dams eyes encompassed the room:
the piles Of provisions heaped against
the wall. the snow shoes beside the
pallet but most OF all he wished TO
locate Cranston's rifle. Success or
failure hung on that. He couldn't
nnd II ut FIRST Then he saw the gilt
ter Of its barrel In the moonlight
leaning against a grub box possibly
six feet from Cranston and 10 from
himself.
Ills heart leaped. The best. he had
hoped for-fOr the sake of Snowbird,
not himself-was that he would be
nearer TO the gun than Cranston and
would be able to seize IL first. But
conditions could be greatly worse than
they were. IL CranstOn had actually
had the weapon In his hands, the odds
OF battle would hive been frightfully
against Dan. II takes a certain length
or time TO seize, swing. and aim n RI
ne; and Dan felt that while he would
be unable TO reach Il himself, Gran
stOn could not procure II either, with.
out giving Dan an opportunity to leap
upon him. m all his dreams, through
the months of preparation, he had pic
tured II thus. II was the test at last.
The gun might be loaded, and still
In these days OF safety deyices-un-
ready to FIRE; and the loss OF a frac-
ton Of q second might enable Gran
ston 20 reach his knife. Thus Dan
felt justified In ignoring the gun alto
gether and trusting-as he had most
desired-to d battle Of hands. And he
wanted both hands free when he made
his attack.
II Dan had been erect upon his feet,
bis course would have been an imme-
diate leap on the shoulders of his ad-
versary. running the risk Of Cranston
reaching his hunting knife 10 time.
But the second that he would require
20 get to his feet would entirely Offset
this advantage. Cranston could spring