Evening star., 1924-08-29
Continued from Yesterdays Star.)

| The strange god paused at the foot
of the great staircase and listened,
and White Fang was as dead. so
without movement was he as he
watched and waited. Up that stair
case the way led to the lovemaster
| and to the love-master's dearest pos
sessions White Fang bristled, but
waited. The strange gods foot lift
ed. He was beginning the ascent.
Then it was that White Fang
struck. He gave no warning, with
no snarl anticipated his own action.
Into the air he lifted his body in the
spring that landed him on the
strange gods back. White Fang
clung with his fore-paws to the mans
shoulders, at the same time burying
his fangs into the back of the mans
neck. He clung on for a moment,
long enough to drag the god over
backward. Together they crashed to
the floor. White Fang leaped clear.
and, as the man struggled TO rise.
was in again with the ssashing fangs.
Sierra Vista awoke in alarm. The
noise from downstairs was as that Of
a score of battling fiends. There
were revolver shots. A mans voice
screamed once in horror and anguish.
There was great snarling and
growing, and over all arose a smash
ing and crashing of furniture and
glass.
But almost as quickly as it had
arisen, the. commotion died away
The struggle had not lasted more
than three minutes. The frightened
household clustered at the top of the
stairway. From below, as from out
an abyss of blackness, came up a
gurgling sound, as of air bubbling
through water. Sometimes this CUR
gle became sibilant, almost whistle.
But this, too, quickly died down and
ceased. Then naught came up out
of the blackness save heavy pant
ing of some creature struggling sore
ly for air.
Weldon Scott pressed a button, and
the staircase and downstairs hall
were flooded with light. Then he and
Judge Scott, revolvers in hand, eau
tiouSly descended. There was no
need for this caution White Fang had
done his work. In the midst Of the
wreckage of overthrown and smash
ed furniture. partly on his side, his
face hidden by an arm, lay a man.
Weedn Scott bent over, removed the
arm. and turned the mans face up
ward. A gaping throat explained the
manner of his death.
"Jim Hail." said Judge Scott, and
father and son looked significantly at
each other.
Then they turned to White Fang.
He, too, was lying on his side. His
eyes were closed, but the lids slightly
lifted in an effort to look at them
as they bent over him, and the tail
was perceptibly agitated in a vain
effort to wag. Weldon Scott patted
him, and his throat rumbled an ac-
knowledging growl. But it was a
weak growl at best, and it quickly
| ceased His eyelids dropped and
went shut, and his whole body seemed
to relax and f1atten out upon the
floor.
Hes all in. poor DEVIL muttered
the ma Ster.
"We'l see about that" asserted the
Judge. as he started for the tele-
phone.
"Frankly, he has one chance in a
thousand" announced the surgeon,
after he had worked an hour and a
half on White Fang.
Dawn was breaking through the
! windows and dimming the electric
lights. With the exception of the
children, the whole family was
gathered about the surgeon to hear
his verdict.
"One broken hind leg" he went on.
| Three broken ribs, one at least
| which has pierced the lungs. He has
lost nearly all the blood in his body.
| There is large likelihood Of internal
injuries He must have been jumped
upon. To say nothing of three bullet
holes clear through him. One chance
in a thousand is really optimistic. He
hasn't a chance in ten thousand"
But he mustn't lose any chance
that might be of help to him." Judge
Scott exclaimed. Never mind ex-
pense. Put him under the X-ray-
anything. Weldon, telegraph at once
to San Francisco for DR.. Nichols. No
reflection on you, doctor, you under
stand; but he must have the advantage
of every chance"
The surgeon smiled indulgently. "Of
course I understand. He deserves all
hthAt eA1 be done fox him IA must