The Glenwood post., 1921-02-26

tsed 90 hard"
Just one little sound broke from hi
throat-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 thatr' 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
glimmerings Of eternal truths that are
hidden from all but the most far-see-
ing eyes.
"And this is the end1" she asked
him. She spoke very bravely.
"No" His hand frightened on hers.
"No. 80 long as an ounce Of strength
remains. To flght-never to give up
may God give me spirit for v tn I
de-"
And this was no idle prayer. His
eyes raised to the starry sky as he
spoke.
But, son." Lennon asked him rath-
er quietly, what can you dof The
wolves aren't going to wait q great
deal longer, and we can't 60 on"
There's one thing more-one more
trial to make" Dan answered. Il
thought about 1t at first, but 1t was too
long a chance to try If there was any
other way. And suppose You thought
Of 1t too"
"Overtaking Cranstonr'
"Of course. And 1t sounds like q
crazy dream. But listen, both Of you.
If we have got to die, up here in the
mow-and 1t looks like we had-what
Is the thing you want done worst be-
fore we got"
Lemons hands clasped, and he
leaned forward on the sled. PAY
Cranstonr" he said.
Yes" Dams voice rang. Grams
toms 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 find our bodies in the
snow, and we'll just be a mystery,
with no one made to pay. The evil
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.
1.-The second reason is that It's the
one hope we have left. l take it that
none Of us are deceived on that point.
And no man can die tamely-if he is
a man-while there's chance. mean
a young man, like me-not one who Ia
old and tired. It sounds perfectly silly
to talk about finding Cranston's win
ter quarters, and then, with my bare
hands, conquering him, taking his food
and his blankets and his snowshoes
and his rifle, to fight away these
wolves, and bringing 'em back here"
you wouldn't be barehanded," the
girl reminded him. "You could have
the pistol"
He didn't even seem to hear her.
I've been thinking about 1t. It's
long, long chance-much worse than
the chance we had Of getting out by
straight walking. think we could
have made 1t. If the wolves had kept
OFF and the snowshoe hadn't broken.
II would have nearly killed US, but
believe we could have got out That's
why didn't try this other way first.
A man with his bare hands hasn't
much of chance against another with
rifle, and don't want you to be too
hopeful. And of course, the hardest
problem is finding his camp.
But l do feel sure of one thing:
that he is back to his old trapping line
on the North Fork-somewhere south
of here-and his camp is somewhere
on the river. l think he would have
gone there so that he could cut of any
attempt l might make to get through
with those letters. My plan is to start
back at an angle that will carry me
between the North Fork and our old