The daily Alaskan., 1922-04-22
CCopyrlsA., lssO, Little, Brown { Oaup.ay)
CHAPTER m.

angle between their late course and
 direct road to the river, and he kept 1t as If by a surveyors line. All the old devices of the wilderneSs-the ridge on ridge that looked Just alike, inclnes that to the casual eye looked like downward slopes, streams that vanished beneath the snow. and the snow-mist blowing across the face Of
 the IandmarkS-could not avail
 against him.
 A half dozen of the wolves followed him al first. But perhaps their fierce eyes marked his long stride and his
 powerful body. and decided that their
 better chance was with the helpless
 man and the girl beside the fiickering fire. They turned back, one by one.
 Dan kept straight on and In two hours crossed CranstOn's trail. He didn't doubt but that he would find Gran ston in his camp. if he found the camp at all. The man had certainly re ] turned to it immediately after setting fire to the buildings, if for no other
 reason than for food. It isn't well
 to he abroad on the wintry mountains , without a supply of food; and Gran srnn would certainly know this fact Dan didn't know when rife bullet from some camp in the thickets would put an abrupt end to his advance. The brush grew high by the river. the ele vatIon was considerably lower, and there might be one hundred camps out of the sight of the casual wUytarer. If CranstUn should see him, mushtug across the moonlIt SHOW. it would give
 him the most savage joy to open fire
 upon him with his rifle.
 Dams keen eyes searched the thick
 cts. and particularly they watched rhr ! sky line for a faint glare that might
 mean camp fire He tried 10 walk
 silently. It wasn't an easy thing to do with awkward snOwShues: but the
 river drowned the little noise that he made. He tried 10 take advantage of
 the shelter of the thlckets and the
 trees. Then. at the base of little rldge. he came to a sudden halt.
 | He had estimated just right. No' | two hundred yards distant a camp fire flickerpd and glOwed in the shel- [ ter Of great log. He saw It, by the most astounding good fortune, through
 a little rift in the trees. Ten feet on { ether side. and it was obsCured.
 1 He lost no time. He did not know
 when the wolves about SnOwbird's camp would lose the last of their | cnwardire. Yet he knew he must keep tight grip on his Self-Control and Gof let the necessity Of haste cost him ] bis victory. He crept forward, step ! by step. placing his snOwshOes with ! cnnsummate care. When he was one 1 hundred yards distant he saw that / CranSton's camp was situated beside little stream that flowed Into tho [ river and that-like the moun,aneer h. was-he had built large leuu-to reinforced with snOwbOnkS. The fire burned at Its opening. CranstOn WIS not in sight; either he was absent 1 fIUm camp or asleep In his lean-to. i The latter seemed the more likely. Dan made wide detour, coming In about thirty yards behind the COnStruc- ton. Still he moved with incredible caution. Never in his life had he pos. 1 EcSSed a greater mastery over his own nerves. His heart leaped somewhat
 fast In his own breast; but this was | the only wasted motion. It Isn't easy
 to advance through such thlckets with. ' out ever q miSStep. without the rustic
 of a branch or the crack of a twIg,
 Certain of the wild creatures find It easy; but men have forgotten how in ! too many centuries of cities and farms, 1 T. is hardly a human quality. and a
 spectator would have found a rather ! ChastIy fascination In watching the 1 1.-the motions, the passiOnleSs face, the ! hands that didn't shake al all But ! there were no speCtatOrs-unless rhe
 little band of wolves, stragglers from [ the pack that had gathered on the hills 1 hehInd-wutchcd with lighted eyes. Dan went down at full length upon
 the snow and softly removed his snow
 shoes They would be only an imPrii.
 ment In the close work that was sure ! in follow. He slid along the snow crust. clear to the mouth of the lean-rO. ] The moonlight poured through and
 showed the interior with rather re
 markahlp plainness. CranSlOn was Sprawlpd half-sitting, half-lying on
 rree-hOugh pallet near the rear wall. l There was not the slightest doubt of the mans wakefuIness. Dan heard
 nIm stir. and Once-as if at the mem- 1 Ory of his deed of the day hefOre-he
 cursed In a savage whisper. Although | be was facing the opening of the lean I 10. he was wholly unaware of Dams I presence. The latter had thrust his 1 head at the side of the opening, and
 1T was in shadow. CranstOn seemed l 10 he watching the great, white snow | fields that lay in front, and for mO- ment Dan was at loss 10 explain this
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