South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-18
THE SKY LINE
OF SPRUCE
by EDISON MARSHALL

t
want sou 10 look there mighty
careful. There may be a document
or two OF Importance"
won't forget" Ben promised.
CHAPTER Y
Tanning the Wolf.
on arriving IN SNOWY Gulch
Ben's first efforts were 20 inquire IN
regard 70 horses. Both pack and
saddle animals e learned, were q
be hired OF Sandy mcclure. owner OF
the general store and leading citi-
zen; and az once he made his way to
confer with him.
Most OF my mustangs arc rented
out" the merchant informed him
but 81 you can ge, along with three,
I guess ! can fix you mp. You can
pack two Of EN-. and ride the third"
Good enough. Ben agreed. And
after / onqe got in. I'd Ike to turn
back two of them, and maybe all
three-to save the hire and the both
or OF taking care or them.
Just n little faster than a dog.
Horses don't much care 10 grub
their food out OF them spruce for
ests Where care you heading. If the
questions fair2"
Through Spruce Pass and down
into The Yuga River"
Prospecting. eh? There's been
quite a movement down that way
lately. By starting early YOU can
make q through in a day And you
said YOU name was"
Darby. Ben Darby
The merchant opened his eyes.
"NOt the Ben Darby that took all
the prizes At the meet AT Lodge
Pole
Ben's rugged face lit with the bril-
liancy OF his smile. The same
Darby" he admitted
And when did YOU say YOU was
going?'
First thing tomorrow"
well. you're pretty likely 20 have
comUanionship on the road. too"
I'm glad OF il. If he isn't a ten
! deUfOOt. That must be a pretty thick
~ settled region-where I'm head
! ing"
con the contrary. there's only
three human beings in the whole dis
trict. These three are some men who
went up that way prospecting some
time ago, and this other party will
make four"
"All right-I1l be here before
dawn tomorrow and get the horses.
And now Will you tell me-where
Steve Morris lives2"
end of the row" McClurgs humOr
had quite engulfed him by now. and
ne chuckIed again. And IL / was
YOU. Ia stop in the door just this
side-and ret acquainted with your
fellow traveller"
What's his nance" Ben asked
The party is named Nelson" -
All right. Maybe I'll look him
up"
a few moments later he was stand
ing in the Norris home. facing the
one friend that Hiram Melville had
possessed on earth.
Hiram didn't leave anything fa-
as I know. except his old gun and
his pet. Lord knows. I'd let any
body take that let OF his that's fool
enough to say he's got any claim to
him, and you can be sure I amt go
ing TO dispute his tlaim."
He turned. with the intention OF
securing the gun from an inner
room. lie did not even reach the
door. IL was as If both Of them
We're struck motioniess. frozen in
odd. fixed attitudes. by shrill
scream for help that penetrated like
@ bullet the thin walls OF the house.
The sound was in the range be-
tween a srowl and bay. instantly
identifying itself as the utterance Of
9n animal. rather than a human be-
ing. Ben's first thought was of some
enormous. vicious dog. and yet his
wood $ sense sold him that the at
terance was not that OF a dos
He heard it even rs he leaped
through the door i'm answer % the
scream for aid. HIS muscles gather
cd with shat mysterious power that
had always sustained him IN his
moments OF crisis. Tic took the steps
!n one leap. Morris immediately be
bind him
"Fenris is loose ne heard thS
man ~lt. Hell Eiii some one
lle raced aocut ;he house. and az
once the scene in every vivid detail.
was revealed 90 him. Pressed back
against the wall of a little woodshed
ha- stood behind her house girI
stood al bay--1 Cark-e-ad girl whose
hcaur-fai face was 1rewr and stark
white with lerru~. She was scream
-ns t9r a-j hec fascinated SAFE held
'. 50 gray black. hOuudlke creature
t.a, c.JueAej -nac..uE. twenty Yards
distant
Continued in our Next Issuc)