The daily Alaskan., 1922-04-06

drefh's case. He remembered nrm sim. ply as one of Cranston's disreputable gang. a poacher and fire bug him self. When all Is said and done, it remained really a personal Issue be- tween Dan and Cranston. And per sonaI issues are drowned upon by law and society. Civilization has toiled up from the darkness in 8 great meas. ure 10 gel away from them. But hu. man nature remains disTessinEly the same. and Dams desire 70 pay his deht was a distinctly human emotion. Some time breed win live upon the earth that can get clear away from personal venCeanCe-from that age-Old code of the hills that demands 8 hlow for a blow and Q fife for 8 Iife-but the time Is nos ye: And after all. by all the standards. cf men as men. noi as read in Ideallstc philosophies. Dams debt was entirely real. By the light held high by his ancestors, he could not turn his other cheek.
 Just as soon as he was able he went back to the scene of the murder. Re didn't know when the snow would come 10 cover what evidence there was. II threatened every hour. Ev- cry wind promised it The air was sharp and cold. and no drop of rain could fall through It without crystal lIziDg Into snow. The deer had all gone and the burrowing people had sought their holes. The bees worked no more in the winter flowers. Of all the greater forest creatures only the wolves and the bear remained- the former because their fear of men would moi permit them 10 go down to the tower hills, and The latter he cause of his knowledge thsi when food became scarce he could always hurrOw In the snow. No hear goes into hIhernatiou from choice. Wise old hachelor he much prefers 10 keep just as late hours as he can-as long as the eating places ID the berry tnict. cts remain open. The cougars had all gone down with the deer. the mi- gratory birds had departed. and even the squirrels were !n hiding.
 The scene didn't offer much ln the way of clues. Of the body Itself only a white heap Of bones remained. for many and terrible had been the agents at work upon them. The clothes. how ever. particularly the coat, were prac- tlcany inract Gripping himself Dan thrust his fingers into Its pockets then inlo the pockets Of the shirt and rrous- CTS. All paper that would tn any way serve to identify the murdered man, or tell what his purpose hsd been in journeyinG down the trail the night of the murder had been removed. Only one explanation presented itself Cranston had come before him and searched the body himself.
 Dan looked about for tracks. and he was considerably surprised to find the blurred indIStinct imprint Of shoe other than his own. He hadn't the least hope that the tracks themselves would offer a clue To q detective. They were too dim for that The sur priSing fact was that since the mur- ter had been committed Immediately heforc the fall rains the water had not completely washed them out The only possibility remaining was that CrunSton had returned to the body after the weeks rainfall. The track had been dimmed by the lighter rains that had fallen since.
 But yet lt was entirely tc be eI- Dected that the examination Of the body would he an afterthought on Cranston's part. Possibly al first his only thought was t0 kil and, follow ing the prompting that has sent so many murdprprs 10 the EaIlows, he had afterward TetUrned 10 the scene Of the crime 10 destroy any clues he might have left and to search the body for any evidence against the arson ring
 (Continued on Saturday,