The daily Alaskan., 1922-04-04
The Voice of the Pack i56G6666GHEGaE18Bs ss 11l By EDISON MARSHALL
Copyright, 1920, Little, Brown A CpupSay)
By EDISON MARSHALL

he found the note that she had left for him.
 If told very simply and plainly. that her father lay injured in his bed, and he was to remain and do what he could for him. She had gone for help to the ranger station.
 He leaped through the rooms to Len nox's door. then went in on tiptoe. And the first thing he saw when he openpd the door was the grizzled mans gray face on the pillow.
 "Youre home early. Dan" he said. "How many did you get?
 If was entirely characteristic. Shaggy old Woof Is too proud to howl over the wounds that lay him low. and thIs gray old hear on the bed had par taken of his spirit.
 "Good Lord" Dan answered. "How badly are you hurt?"
 "Nnt so had hut that I'm sorry that Snowhlrd has gone drifting twelve miles over the hills for help. It's dark as pitch"
 And lt was nan could scarcely make out the outline of the somher ridges against the sky. They talked on. and their subject was whether Dam should remain to take care Of LennoX. or whether he should attempt to overtake Snowhird wIth tbp horse. Of course The girl had ordered him tn stay. LennoX. on the other hand. said that Dan could not help him In the least, and desired him to follow the girl.
 "Tm not often anxious about her" he said slowly. "But it Is long walk through the widest part of the Di- vide. Some way-T can't bar accidents tonight. don't like tO think of her on those mountains alone"
 And remembering what had lain be side the trail Dan felt the same. II" had heard long agn. that any anlma' that once tasted human flesh loses irS fear of men and Is never 10 be trusted again. Some wild animal that still hunted the ridges hHd. in the last month done just that thing. He left the room and walked softly to the door.
 The night lay silent and mysterious over the Divide. He stood listening The girl had started only an hour he fore. and 1t was unlikely thai she could have travrrsed more than two miles of tha StepD rrNll in that time. Although the horse ordinarily did moi climb a hnl more swiftly than a hu- man heinz. he didn't doubt hut that he could overtake her before she went three miles farther. Rnt where Inv his duty-wlth the injured mnn in rbe house or with the daughter or her errand Of mercy in the darkness: Then the matter was decided for him. So faint that It only whispered a, fbe dim. outer frontiers of hearing. sound came prIcklng through The darkness. Only his months of listen 1 ing to the faint sounds of the forest, and the incredible silence Of the night pDobled him to hear it al all. But he knew what 1t was. the report ot q ] pIsfnl. SnowhIrd had met all enemy in the darkness.
 He called once 10 LennOX. snatched tbe shotgun that still stood where he had placed 1t in the corner of fhe room. and hastened to the corral. The l mare whIckered plnlntively when he took her from her food.
 
 When Snowhird first heard the SteD ' in the thirkets beside her she halted hrayelv and held her lantern high. She understood al last. The very extremity of the beams found a reflection in two very curious circles of greentsh fire; a fire that was old upon the world be fore man ever rubbed two sticks to- petber to strike a flame. or course fine dim rays had simply been reflect [ ed on the eyes of some great beast oi prey.
 She identified If at once. Only the I eyes of The felInes, with vertical pu- ] pIls. have this identical greenish glare. . The eyes of the wolves glow in the darkness. but the circles are usually bright points. Of course it was a cou- | gar
 She didn't cry out again. Realizing at last the reality of her peril. her ! long training in the mountains came 1 to her aid. That did not mean she was not truly and terribly afraid. The heast was hunting her. She couldn't douht this fact. Curiosity might make | lien follow her. but It would never 1 beget such a wild light of madness In his eyes as this she had just seen. She simply clamped down all her moral strength on her rising hySteria und i looked her situation in the face. Her hand flew instinctively to her side, and the pistol leaped in the lantern i light.
 | But the eyes had already blnked 1 out before she could raise the weapon. I She shot twice. The echoes rOared ! back, unhelievahly loud in the silence. and then abruptly died; and the only sound was rustling of leaves as the | cougar crOuched. She SObbed once, | then hurried on.
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