Evening star., 1924-07-29
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr

But One Ea, broke into a run
across the snow, his traces trailing
behing him. And there. out in the
hewolf waiting for him. AS he
neared her, he became suddenly eau
tious. He slowed down to an alert
and mihcing walk and then stopped.
bously, yet desirefully. She seemed
to smile at him, showing her teeth
in an ingratiating rathr than mem
acing way. She moved toward him
a few steps, playfully, and then
halted One Ear drew near to her.
still alert and cautious, his tail and
ears in the air, his head held high.
He tried to sniff noses with her.
but she retreated playfully and coy
ly. Every advance on his part was
treat on her part. Step by step she
was Turing him away from the Sc
curity of his human companionship.
once, as though warning had in
vague ways fitted through his intelli-
Eence, he turned his head and looked
back at the overturned sled. at his
teammates, and at the two men who
were calling to him.
But whatever idea was forming in
his mind was dissipated by the She
wolf who advanced upon him. shifted
noses with him for tieeting instant,
and then resumed her coy retreat
before his renewed advances.
In the meantime, Bill had be-
thought himself of the rifle. But it
was jammed beneath the overturned
sled. and by the time Henry had
helped him to right the load, One
Ear and the she-wolf were too close
together and the distance too great
to risk a shot.
Too late, One Ear learned his mis-
take. Before they, saw the cause,
the two men saw him turn and start
to run back toward them. Then, ap-
preaching at right angles to the trail
and cutting off his retreat, they saw
Il dozen wolves, lean and gray,
bounding across the snow. On the
instant, the she-wolfs coyness and
playfulnesS disappeared With a
snarl she sprang upon One Ear. He
thrust her off with his shoulder, and,
his retreat cut off and still intent on
regaining the sled. he altered his
course in an attempt to circle around
TO it. More wolves were appearing
every moment and joining in the
chase. The she-wolf was one leap
behind One Ear and holding her own.
Where are you goin'?" Henry sud
denly demanded. laying his hand on
his partners arm.
Bill shook it off. Il won't stand
1t, he said. They amt a-goin' to
get any. more of our dogs if 1 can
help it"
Gun in hand, he plunged into the
underbrush that lined the side of the
trail His intention was apparent
enough. Taking the sled as the
center Of the circle that One Ear was
making, Bill planned to tap that
circle at point in advance of the
pursuit. With his rifle, in the broad
daylight, it might be possible for
him to awe the wolves and save the
dog.
Say, Bill" Henry called after him.
BE careful, Don't take no chances
Henry sat down on the sled and
watched. There was nothing else for
HIM 70 do. Bill had already gone from
sight: but now and again, appearing
and disappearing among the under
brush and the scattered clubs of
spruce, could be seen One Ear. Henry
Judged his case to be hopeless The
dog was thoroughly alive to its
danger. but it was running on the
outer circle while the wolf pack was
running on the inner and shorter circle.
II was vain to thing of One Ear so out
dlStdncIng his purSuerS as to be able
to cut across their circle in advance
of them and to regain the sled
The different lines were rapidly
approaching point. Somewhere
out there in the snow, screened from
his sight by trees and thickets,
Henry knew that the wolf-pack One
Ear, and Bill We're coming together.
All too quickly. far more quickly
than he had expected, it happened.
IL
rapid succession, and he knew that
Bits ammunition was gone. Then
he heard great outcry Of snarls
and yelps. He recognized One Ears
yell Of pain oai! and and terror, and he heard
animal. And that was all. The snarls
ceased. The yelping died away.
silence settled down again over the
lonely land.
He sat for a long while upon the
need
20 and see what had happened. He
knew it as though it had taken place
it Start his ana ba9tS eos hs t5e
out from underneath the lashings
But for some time longer he sat and
brooded, the two remaining dogs
crouching and trembling at his feet.
At last he arose in a weary manner,
out of his body, and proceeded to
fasten the dogs to the sled. He
passed a rope over his shoulder,
man-trace, and pulled with the dogs
He did not go far. At the first hint
of darkness he hastened to make a
camp, and he saw to it that he had
n generous supply of firewood. He
fed the dogs. cooked and ate his sup
per, and made his bed close to the
fire
But he was not destined to enjoy
that bed. Before his eyes closed the
wolves had drawn too near for
safety 1t no LONGER required an
:rho nhort OF the .Hnsie vision to see them
in a narrow circle, and he could see
them plainly in the freight, lying
down, sitting up, crawling forward
on their bellies, or sinking back and
forth. They even slept. Here and
there he could see one curled up in
the snow like dog, taking the sleep
that was now denied himself.
He. kept the fire brightly blazing,
for he knew that it alone intervened
between the flesh of his body and
their hungry fangs. His two dogs
stayed close by him, one on either
side. leaning against him for pro-
lection, crying and whimpering, and
at times snarling desperately when
usual. At such moments, when his
dogs snarled, the whole circle would
be agitated, the wolves coming to
their feet and pressing tentatively
forward, a chorus of snarls and eager
yelps rising about him. Then the
circle would lie down again. and here
and there a wolf would resume its
broken nap.
tendency to draw in upon him. Bit
by bit an inch at a time, with here
q wolf bellying forward, and there a
wolf bellying forward, the circle would
parrow until the brutes were almost
within Springing distance. Then he
would seize brands from the fire and
burI them into the pack. A hasty
drawing back always resulted, ac-
companied by angry yelps and
frightened snarls when a we'll aimed
brand struck and scorched a too dar-
ing animal.
Morning found the man haggard
and worn, wide-eyed from want of
sleep. He cooked breakfast in the
darkness, and at 9 o'clock, when.
with the coming of daylight, the
wolf-pack drew back, he set about
the task he had planned through the
long hours of the night Chopping
down Young saplings. he made them