The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-10
Continued FROM Yesterday,
~NxfrI

Vuntfuucd Ffvm testcrNhV
NNv1I.
The match fiared cut IN pen's
Fingers. ana the only light that was
LEFT was the pale moonlight. rke a
coeweh on tn. floor Of tho glade.
and the faint glow from the eyins
fire. About tho glade ranged the
tall spruce. watching hrcathlosslyi
and for q terrniess second or two
. profound and portentous silence
descended on the camp. No Leaf
rustied. not q tres limb cracked.
The creature that had pushed thru
the vhiekets 20 the edge OF tho glade
was evidently standing motionless.
deciding on HIS course.
Only tho wild things seem 20
know what complete absence Of mo.
ton means. To stand like q form
IN rock. not q muscle auiverins or
= hair stirring. h never a feat for
rsGsed. overStrctched human nerves;
and II requires a perfect muscle
control that /. generally only known
20 the beasts Of the forest. Only
= few times In q lifetime In human
beings arc tho little. outward mo
tons actually suspended. perhaps
under tho paralysis OF great terror
or. with painssaking effort. before
. Photographers camera. hut with
the beasts II is an everyday accom-.
plfshment necessary 70 their sur.
vival The fawn that cannot stand
absolutely motloniea.. his dsppied
akin blending perfectly with tho
background OF shrueoery shot with
sunlight. comes TO an end quickly
In the fangs OF some great beast
Of prey. The panther that cannot
furk. not q muscle quivcring. IN his
ambush beside the deer trail never
knows full feeding. Tho creature
on the opposite side Of the glade
seemed as hercft OF motion as the
spruce trees in the moonlight. or the
cliff above the cave.
What IL itr- Beatrice whispered
The mans eyes strained into the
gloom
Il DON'T know. \, may be tuss a
moose. or maybe a caribou. But ~
may be-
He tipsoed 20 the door OF the cave.
and his eye fell 20 ths crouchins
form Of Fenris. The creature out
side was neither moose nor caribou.
The great wolf Of the North does
not stand az bay 20 tho antlered
people. He was poised 10 spring.
his fanEs barred and his fierce eyes
hot with fire. but he was not hunt.
Ing. Whatever moved IN the dark
meas without. the wolf had no desire
10 go forth and attack Perhaps he
would fight to the death 70 protect
the occupants OF the cave. but sure.
u an ancient and devastating fear
had hold OF him Evidently he rec
pxnixed the intruder as an ancestral
snemy that held sovereignty over
the forest.
Al that fnstAnt ben ieaped thru
the cavern NAV 20 reach his gun.
Fhsrs was nothing 20 Be gained by
waiting further. This was . ssvase
ana IN uninhAbftsd land: ana the
great bsasts Of prsy that ranged the
forose haA not vst learned the ~
strains born a the fear Of man ana
~ knew ono breashIess instant 81
panie when his sys fhiisd 10 locate
the wsapon in the fAins light - shs
f5rN@
Hoi6lng hard. hs trssd to rsmsm-
~ whsrs he had icfs II Tia form
asress the giAds wAs no longer mo
sionlssa etraininG. Ben saw the
soft roll Of . great shadow. almost
impercspsfbse In the gioor,--3d.
vancing slowly toward him. Then
the faint glow Of the fire caught
and reflected IN tho creatures eyes.
They suddenly Giowed out In the
haif-darkness. two rather small cir
cies Of dark red close together ana
just alike This night visitor was
not moose or caribou. or was n one
Of the lesser hunters. lynx or woi-
VERNE. or . panther wandered far
from his accustomed haunts. The
twin circles were too far above the
ground And whatever n was. no
doubt remained but that the cres-
turs was steadily stalking him
across the soft grass.
At that instant B-n's muscles
snapped into action Only . second
remained In which to make his de-
fense---the creature had paused. set
ting his muscles for q deafh-deaiing
chargs. 90 back into the cnvc--as
far ~ you can" he said swiftly 20
Beatrice. His own eyes. sauintsd
and strafning for the iast iota Of
vision In that darkensd scene. made
4 last. frantic search for his rifla.
Suddenly he saw the gieam Of its
barrel a. II rested aeaius3 the wall
Of the cliff. fifteen feet distant
A. once he knew that his only