The daily Alaskan., 1922-04-13
Copyright, 1920. Little, Brown A Oaupsay>
By EDISON MARSHALL

were couple or WlSe phtS, N"'uN
 after that wolf with only three shots
 to our name. Of course by himself
 he's harmless-hut he's likely enough
 to lead us straigh. toward the pack. And Snowbird-I didn't like his looks,
 He's too gaunt and he's too hungry
 and I haven't bit of doubt he waited Tn that brush for us 10 come, intend ! Ing to attack us-and lost his nerve the last thing. That shows he's des'
 perate. don't like him, and l wouldn't
 like his pack. And Q whole pack might
 not lose It's nerve"
 "Then you think we'd better turn back"
 "Yes. do, and not come out any more without a whole pocket Of shells. { I'm going 10 carry rife. foo. just as
 Leunox has always He's got only a
 fleSh-wound. You saw what you did
 with two cartrldge7-got In one flesh.
 wound. Three of 'cm against pack
 wouldn't be a great deal of aid. ! don't mean 10 say you can't shoot, hut 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 ha didn't go to the i pack. Let's go back"
 "If you say SO. But [ don't think
 there's the least b.r of danger. We can always climb Q tree"
 And have 'em make a beautiful
 circle under Itl They've got more Da tience than We haNe-and we'd have
 to coma down some time. Your Father cant come to our help. you know. It's the sign of the tenG"rfOot not to think
 there's any danger-and I'm not going { to think tha: way any more"
 They turned hack and muShed in
 silence a long time.
 "I suppose youm think I'm cow ! ard" Dan asked her humhly.
 "Ouly prudent, Dan" she answered,
 smiling. Whether she meant it he did
 not know. "Tm just beginning Co un-
 derStand that you--IIving here only a
 few monthS-really know and under stand all this better than I do." She
 stretched her arms wide 10 the wilder
 ness. "I guess it's your Instinc'"
 And I do understand" he told her
 earnestly. "I senSed danger back
 there just as sure as cuR see your
 face. That paCk-and its s big one I 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"
 'I know it only too we'll" she said. l Then she paused and asked him | uhOut a strange grayness. Ike snow blown hy the wind, on the sky over the ridge.
 '
 Bert Crnnston waited In Q cIump or exposed thicker 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 Snowblrd always carried they were unarmed. There was no par. ( ticnlar reason why he should he inter. 2 ested in that point It was inst the | mountain way always 10 look for
 weapons. and It Is rather difficult fu | trace the mental processes behind thls , Impulse. Perhaps it can he laid to , the fnCt that many mountain families are often at feud with one another { and anything In tEs way of violence
 may happen before the morning. The two passed out Of his sight md after long time he heard the
 crack Of Snowblrd's pistol. He guessed that she had either shot at
 some wild creature, or else was mere | ly at target pruCtice-rhther com | mon proceeding for the two when | they were on the hills together Thus ! it Is to he seen that CranSton knew
 their habits fairly well. And since he had kept Q close watch upon them for several days. this was to he expected He had no intention of being inter ruptpd Tn this work he was about tn do. He had planned fl all very well The elder LennOX was stIll helpless, CranstOn had noticed that when Dan and Snowhlrd went out. they Were usually gone from two to four hours ; | and that gave him plenty Of time for his undertaking. The moment had
 come al last to make a thorough
 search of LennOx's house for those In
 crImlnnting .ccuments that Dan huo
 found near the body of Lsndy HI. dreth.
 The only really dangerous part ol his undertaking was his approach. fl hy any chance LennOx were looking
 out of the window he might be fornd waiting with a rife across his arms
 It would be quite like the old noun
 talneer to have hIs gun beside him
 and to shoot It quick and exceptional
 ly straight without asking questions,
 at any stealing figure In the snow. Yet CranstOn felt fairly sure that LennoX
 was still too helpless to raise d gun 1 to a shooting position.
 He had observed that the noun taineer spent his time either on the