The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-16
THE
SKYLINE
SPRUCE
bv Edison MARSHALL
: SrQQl i i,fiaL pkrsn Z QmpAnA

4
FERNS wild brethren.
The creature Rt his feet started a.
10 from a blow Then he stood mo-
tioniesa. listening. and tho cry came
the second time. lie took two leaps
into the darkness
Deeply moved. ben watched him.
The wolf halted. then stole hack 20
his masters side. lie licked the mans
hand with his warm tongue. whining
softly.
what IL II. beyr" fsen asked
what do you want me 20 dor
The wolf whined louder. his eyes
luminous with ineffahic appeal Once
more he leaped into tho shadows.
pausing as n TO rec IL hen would fol-
low him.
The man shook his head. rather
soheriy A curious. excited HIGHT was
In his eyes Il cant so. old boy" he
said This IL my place-here. Fen
ris. l can't leave the cave"
Fer a moment they looked eyrs
into eyes--ln tho glory OF that moon
a. strange picture an the wood
gods ever hohcld once moro the
wolf call sounded Fenris whimpered
softly.
Go ahead ~ you like" Ben told
him. God knows It's your destiny"
Tho wolf seemed 20 understand.
With a glad bark he sped away and
almost instantly vanished into tho
gloom.
hut Fenris had no, broken all ties
with the cave. The chain was too
strong for that. the hold on his Wild
heart too firm. II there In one trait.
far and near IN the wilds. that dis
tinguishes the woods children. u II
their inability 10 forget Fcnris had
Joined his fellows 20 be sure; but he
stil kept watch over tho cave.
The strongest wolf In tho little
hand. tho nucleus about which the
winter pack would form. NJ largely
confined their hunting range 10 the
district Immediately about the cave.
IL held him Hike a chain ~ iron. Al
tho the woods trails begflled him
with every strong appeal. the sight
% his master was beloved thing 10
him stifi. and scarcely a night wen,
by that he paused 20 sniff az the
cavern nav. seeing that an was we'll
At such times his followers would
iinEer. trembling and silent. in the
farther shadows. Because they had
never known the love OF man they
utterly failed to understand. But In
an instant Ferris would come back
10 them. ths Wild urge In his heart
seemingly appcasef BY the mere as
surance Of Rcn's presence and safety.
Ben himself was never aware OF
these midnight visits The feet OF the
wolves were like falling feathers on
the grass; and II sometimes. thru
the cavern nav. h. half Weakened 20
catch the CLEAN Of their Wild eyes.
he attributed n merely 20 the pres
ence Of sknikinx coyotes. curious
concerning the dying Goals OF the fire.
xxxu
Beatrfcs had kept only an spproxs-
mate track Of this days: yet she knew
that an attempt 20 rescue her must
Be almost ~ hand Even travelling
but half . doxsn miles q day. ana
counting out . reasonable time for
exploration ana delays. ner fathers
party must b. eio-s upon them And
the thought Of the sorshcomins hat
tie between her shcucsor and her res
cucrs filled every waking moment
with dread
Che could not escape the thought
OF H. II fingered. lowering Ike
shadow. over an her gsyest moments:
~ haunted her more sober hours.
and u brought evil dreams NJ night.
Her one hope wa. that her father
had given her ND for lost and had
not attempted her rescue.
She realized perfectly the perfec-
ton % Ben's plans. she knew that
he had provided for every coming
encv: and besides. he had every nat
urnI advantage in his favor. The end
was inevitable. his victory and the
destruction ~ his foes There would
~ little mercy for these three In tho
hands Of this iron man from tho east
ern provinces. II they were 70 be
waved II must b. soon. not n week
from now. nor when another moon
had waned ~ Ben was 10 be check
mated there were not many hours 20
waste
She had had no opportunity 70
escape. af first ben knew that che
could not make her way over the
hundreds Of mites Of bowling wilder
ness without food supplies. and al
ways the wolf had been on guard
He was like a werewolf. a demon,
anticipating her every move. know
ing her secret thoughts. But the