Evening star., 1924-08-13
CONTINUED d from Yesterdays starr
CHAPTER vi.
The Famine.

The Famine.
The spring of the year was at hand
vlsn Cray Beaver finished his long
tourney. 1t was April and White
Fang was a year old when he pulled
tato the home village and was loosed
from the harness by Mit-sah. Though
a long way from his full growth,
White Fang. next to Lip-lip, was the
largest yearling in the village. Both
from his father. the wolf, and from
I\fche he had inherited stature and
strength. and already he was measur-
ing up alongside the full-grown dogs.
But he had not Yet grown compact.
His body was slender and rangy.
and his strength more stringy than
massive His coat was the true
wolf gray, and to all appearances he
was true wolf himself. The quarter
strain of dog he had inherited from
kiche had left no mark on him
physically. though it played its part
in his mental makeup.
lie wandered through the village,
recognizing with staid satisfaction
the various GUdS he had known be
fore the long journey. Then there
were the dogs. puppies growing up
like himself and grown dogs that did
not look 50 large and formidable as
The memory pictures he retained OF
them than foymrrly. stalking among
1dem Wi,h certain careless ease
that WaS as new to him as ii was
enjoyable.
There was Baseek, q grizzIed old
fellow that in his younger days had
but to uncover his fanSS 10 send
White Fang cringing and crouching
to the ri@ht-ahout. From him White
Fang had learned much OF his own
lnsigniticance; and from him he was
now TO learn much of the change and
development that had taken place in
himself While Easeek had been
growing weaker with age, White
rang had been growing stronger
with youth.
1t was at the cutting-up of a
moose, freshkiIled. that White Fang
learned of the changed relations in
which he stood to the dog world
He had got for himself hoof and
part OF the shinbone. to which quite
- hit of meat was attached. With
urdWn from the Immediate scramble
~ the other dogS-in fact. out OF
sight hehind thickeJ--he was de-
NourinG his prize. when Baseek
rushed in. upon him. Before he
knew what he was doing he had
sIashed the intruder twice and
sprung clear. Baseek was surprised
by III" others temerity and SwiftneSs
OF attack. He stood, gazing stupidity
arroSs at White Fang. the raw red
baSeek was old, and already he
had come to know the increasing
Naior of the dogs it had been his
wont To bully. Bitter experiences
thtSe,- which, perforce. he swallowed
calling upon all his wisdom to cope
with them. In the old days. he would
have sprung upon White Fang in a
fury of righteous wrath. But now
his waning powers would not permit
such course. He bristled fiercely
and looked ominously across the shin
bone at White Fang. And White
Fang. resurrecting quite a deal of
the old awe, seemed to wilt and to
shrink in upon himself and grow
small, as he cast about in his mind
for d way TO beat retreat not too
And right here Baseek erred. Had
he contented himself with looking
fierce and ominouS all would have
been well. White Fang. on the verge
of retreat would have retreated. lear-
lnS the meat to him. But Baseek
did not wait. He considered the vic
tory already his and stepped forward
to the meat. As he bent his head
careiessly to smell it White Fang
bristIed slightly. Even then it was
not too late for Baseek to retrieve
the situation. Had he merely stood
over the meat. head up and glover
Ing, White Fang would ultimately
. have skunk away. But the fresh meat
greed urged him to take a bite of it.
This was too much for White Fang
Fresh upon his months of mastery
over his own teammates it was
beyond his Self-control to stand idly
by while another devoured the meat
that belonged to him. He struck
after his custom, without warning.
With the first slash Baseek's right
ear was ripped into ribbons. He was
aStounded at the SuddenneSS of it,
Hut more things, and most grievous
ones. were happt ming with equal sud
denness. He was Knocked off his
feet. His throat was bitten. While
he was struggling to his feet the
young dog Sank teeth twice into
his shoulder. The swiftness of it
was bewildering He made futile
rush at White Fang, clipping the
empty air with an outraged snap. The
next moment his nose was laid open
and he was staggering backward
away from the meat.
The situation was now reversed
White Fang stood over the shin
bone, bristling and menacing. while
Baseek stood a little way off. pre-
pairing to retreat. He dared not risk
a fight with this young lightnins-
fash, and again he knew, and more
bitterly, the enfeeblement of oncom-
ing age. His attempt to maintain
ms dignity was heroic. Calmly turn
ing his back upon young dog and
9hlhp poiLe, DIS thouSn Dolh We're be-
meath his notice and unworthy of
considera ton, he stalked grandly
away. Nor. until well out of sight,
did he stop to lick his bleeding
wounds.
The effect on White Fang was to
give him greater faith in himself
and greater pride. He walked less
tSoftlN among the grown dogs; his
attitude toward them was less com
promising. Not that he went out of
his way looking for trouble. Far
from II. But upon his way he de-
manded consideration. He stood upon
MS right to go his way unmolested
and to give trail to no dog He had
To be taken into account. that was
BIZ. He was no longer to be dsre-
sarded and ignored, as was the lot
of puppies and as continued to be
the lot of puppies that were his
tcammate. They got out of the way
gave trail to the grown dogs and
gave up meat to them under com
pulsIon. But White Fang uncom-
panionable, solitary. morose. scarcely
looking to right or left, redoubtable.
forbldding of aspect, remote and
alien. WAS accepted as an equal by
his puzzled elders. They quickly
learned to leave him alone, neither
fenturing hostile acts nor making
svertures of friendliness If they
seft him alone he left them alone
. state of affairs that they found
after few encounters, to be pre-
3minently desirable.
in midsummer White Fang had an
experience. Trotting along in his
silent way to investigate a new tepee
which had been erected on the edge
of the village while he was away
with the hunters after moose, he
came full upon Kiche. He paused