Trsfe a ETBOTtKia3 BMECTP--PnmyjyB'B'pm3. WETD'AY, imWEMlBfflR 81. $W. p 'i i -ST- Tf- 5i V - U wjp f tlie BeSSsMerrilf Coin Chapter I TUB MIRACLE. KAZAN lay mute nnd motionless, his gray tioso between his forepaws, hla tjts half closed. A rock could have up wared scarcely less lifeless than he; not k muscle twitched; not a hair moved; pot an eyelid quivered. Yet every drop ef the blood In hla splendid body was rutins In a ferment of excitement that Kuan had never before experienced; every nervo and flbro of hla wonderful jnusclea was tenso aa Bteel wire. Quartcr itraln wolf, three-quarters "husky," he lived, the four years of his life In tho wit derneis. Ho had felt tho pangs of starva tion. H knew what it moant to freeze. He had listened to tho walllnB winds of the long Arablo night over tho barren. He had heard tho thunder of tho torrent and tho cataract and had cowered under the mighty crash of tho storm. Hlj throat and sides wcro scarred by battlo and hla oyca were red with tho blister of tho snons. He was called Kazan, tho Wild Dog, because ho was a giant among hit kind and as foarlcss even as tho men who drovo him through tho perils of u frozen world. He had never known fear until now. He had never felt In him beforo the deslro to run not even on thnt tcnlblo day In the forest when he had fought and killed the bis pray lynx. He did not know what It was that frightened him, but ho know that ho was' In another world and that many things In It startled and alarmed him. It was his first glimpso of civiliza tion. He wished that his master would como back Into tho strange room where he had left him. It wns a room filled with hideous things. Thero were great human faces on tho wall, but they did not movo or, speak, but stared nt him In a way he bad never seen pcoplo look before. Ho 'remembered having looked on a master who lay very quiet and very cold In the anew, and ho had sat back on hla haunches and walled forth the death ions; but these people on tho walls looked alive and yet seemed dead. Suddenly Kazan lifted his ears a little. Be heard steps, then low voices. One of them was his master's voice. But the ether It se.t a little tremor through him I Once, so long ago that It must have been in his puppyhood days, he seemed to have had a dream of a laugh that -was Ilka the girl's laugh a laugh that was all at enoe filled with a wonderful happiness, the thrill of a wonderful love, and a sweetness that made Kazan lift his head u they came in. He looked straight at them, his red eyes gleaming. At ones he knew that ahe must be dear to his master, for his master's arm was about her. In the glow of the light he saw that her hair was very bright, and that there Was tho color of the crimson bakneesh Tine In her faco and the blue of the bakneesh flower In her shining eyes. Sud denly sho saw htm, and with a little cry darted toward him. -"StopI" shouted the man. "He's dan larous! Kazan " She "was on her kneea beside him, all Butty and sweet and beautiful, her eyes shining wonderfully, her hands about to touch him. Should ho cringe back? Bhould he snap? Waa she one of the things on the wall, and his enemy? Bhsuld he leap at her whtto throat? He aw the man running forward, pale as death. Then her hand fell upon his head and the touch sent a thrill through him that quivered In every nerve of his body. With both hands she turned up his head. Her face was very closo, and hs heard ier say, almost sobblncly: "And you are Kazan dear old Kazan, my Kazan, my hero dog who brought him home to ma when all tho others had dledl My Kazan my hero!" And then, miracle of miracles, her face was crushed down against him, and hs felt her sweet warm touch. In those moments Kazan did not move. He scarcely breathed. It Feemed a long time beforo tho girl lifted her face from him. And when she did thero were tears in her blue eyes, and the man "was stand ing above them, his hands gripped tight, hla jaws set, "I never know him to let any one touch hla with their naked hand," he said In , a lens wondering voice. "Move DacK rnr. XaWKfe' 'WjP t, Wrietly, Isobel, Good heaven look at tsatl" Kazan -whined softly, hla bloodshot eyes V en the rtiTfl face. He wanted to feel her hand again; he wanted to touch her face. Would they beat him with a club, he wondered, if he dared I He meant no harm now. Ho would kill for her. He cringed toward her, Inch by Inch, his 7W never faltering. He heard what the tnan Bald "Good heaven I Look at thatl" -and he shuddered. But no blow fell to drive him back. Hla cold muzzle touched her filmy dress, and she looked at him, without moving, her wet eyes lazing like stars. "Seel" Bhe wispered. "Heel" Half an Inch more an Inch, two inches. . ana he gave his big gray body a huncn ner, now nis muzzie iravcicu lowly u. jard oyer her foot, to her lap, and at last touched the warm little hand that lay there. His eyes were still on her face! hn HAW n miAAP throbbing In tL her bars vhlte throat, and then a trem- MJ tlla? Of her lira ig aha looked UD at the loan With n. nnnHrlilt look. He. tOO. ' koelt down beside them, ani put his arm k "ut the girl again, and patted the dog ms head. Kazan did not like tne -aan'a touch. He mistrusted It, as nature aad taught him to mistrust the touch f. AH men'd lianHi iit ho nermltted it because he saw that it in some way pleased the girl, "Kazan, old boy, you wouldn't hurt her, ould you?" said his master, softly. "We both Jove her, don't we, boy? Can't f Up it, can we? And she's ours, Kazan. U ours! Bhe belongs to you and to roe, and we're going to take care of her all jar Uve3( anij j( we ever have to we'll fret for her like hell won't we? Eh. an, old boy?" fur a long tlmo after they left him KWwre he was lying on the rug; Kazan's am not leave tho girt. e waicueu and llstened-and all the time there grew or and more in hlra the craving to j up. 10 mem ua loucn me B'no hd. or hen lir op her foot. After a toe bU master said something, and, with IJttla laugh. he girl jumped up and iOton big, square, sh'nlng thlu? that J00 rroesnUe W a corner, and yhlch 4Ad A miw ., .. kita 4..,tli Inneor than Mm Own, body H had wondered what aej leeio. wro for Tne gins nngef fKMd. them, now, and all the whlsper 9M? of t&fntt t,t h. fcmi Aver heard. t l.V wta the. waterf&lU and the fe M4s. and the trilllns oZ birds Jn rinr- The gripping story of a -wolf-dog and of the love of beautiful women in rugged Alaska, where men are brutal and deatn lurks near tlme could not equal the sounds they mnde. It wns hh first mualc. For a moment It startled and frightened him, and then ho felt the fright pass away and n strange tlmrllnir In his body. Ho wanted to Hit back on his haunches I ana howl, ns he had howled at tho billion stars In tho skies on cold winter nights. Hut something kept him from doing that. It was the girl. Slowly he began slinking toward her, Ho felt tho eyoi of the man upon lit nt niul stopped. Then a little more Inches nt n time, with hli throat and Jaw straight out along tho floorl He was half-wny to her half-way across tho room when' tho wonderful sounds grew very Boft and very low. "Go on'" ho heard tho man urgo In a low, quick voice. "Go on! Don't stop!" Tho girl turned her hend, saw Kazan cringing thero on the floor, and continued to piny. Tho man was Mill looking, but his eyes could not keep Kazan back now. He went nearer, still nearer, until at last Mis outrcachlns muzzle touched her dress whero it lay plied on the floor. And then he lay trembling, for sho had begun to Ring. Hn had heard a Crco woman croon ing In front of her tcpeo; he lmd heard tho wild chant of tho cnrlbou song he had novcr heard anything llko this wonderful sweetness that fell from the lips of tho girl. Ho forgot his master's presenco now. Quietly, crlnglngly, bo thnt sho would not know, he lifted his head. Ho saw her looking at him; thero was something In her wonderful eyes that gave lilin confidence, and ho laid his head In her lnp. For tho second time hs felt tho touch of a soman's hand, and ho closed his eyes with a long, sighing breath. Tho music stopped. Thero came a llttlo fluttering sound abo'o him, llko a laugh nnd a sob In one. Ho heard his master cough. "1'vo always loved the old rascal but I never thought he'd do that," he said, and his voice sounded qucor to Kazan. Chapter II INTO THE NORTH. TTTONDERFUL, days followed for VV Kazan. He missed the forests and j deep snows. He mlsfcd the dolly strlfo of keeping hla teammates In trace, tho yap ping at his heels, tho straight long pull ' over the open spaces and the barrens. He missed the "Kooah koosh Hoo-yah!" of the driver, tho spiteful snap of his 20 foot caribou-gut whip, and that yelping and straining behind him that told him ho had his followers In line. But some thing had come to tako tho place of that which he missed. It was In tho room, In ' the air all about him, even when the girl Or hlfl TTIBHtlM1 YVfia Tint (innc TV1, ,.,'.. I sho hnd been, he found tho presence of thnt strange thing that took away hli loneliness. It wns the woman scent, and sometimes It made him whlno softly whon i ma sin ueraeu was aciuauy Willi mm. He was not lonely, nights, when he should have been out howling at the stars. Ho was not lonely, because one night ho prowled about until he found a certain door, and when the girl opened that door In the morning she found him curled up tight against it. She had renched down and hugged him. the thick smother of her long hair falling all over him In a delightful perfume; thereafter she placed a rug before the door for him to sleep on. All through tho long nights he knew that she was just beyond the door, and he was content Each day he thought less and leas of the wild places, and more of her. Then there came the beginning 01 the change. There was a strange hurry and excitement around him, and the girl paid less attention to him. He grew uneasy. He sniffed the change In the air, and ho began to study his master's face. Then there came the morning, very early, when the bablche collar and the iron chain were fastened to him again. Not until he had followed hla master out through the door and Into the street did he begin to understand. They were sending him away I He eat suddenly back on his haunches and refused to budge. "Come, Kazan," coaxed the man, Come on, boy," He hung back and showed his white fangs. He expected the lash of a whip or the blow of a club, but neither came. His master laughed and took Mm back to the house. When they left It again the girl was with them and walked with her hand touching his head. It was she who persuaded him to leap up through a big dark hole Into the still darker In terior of a car, and it was she who lured him to the darkest corner of all, where his master fastened his chain. Then they went out, laughing like two children. For hours after that Kazan lay still and tense, listening to the queer rumble of wheels under him. Several times those wheels stopped, and he heard voices out Alde. At last he was sure that he heard a familiar voice, and he strained a. his chain and whined. The closed door slid back. A man with a lantern climbed in, followed by hla master. He paid no at tention to them,, but glared out through the opening Into the gloom of night. He almost broke loose when he leaped down upon the white snow, but when he saw no one there ha stood rigid, sniffing the air. Over him were the stars he had honied at all his life and about him were the forests, black and silent, shutting them in like a wall. Vainly he sought for that one scent that was missing, and Thorpe heard the low note of grief in his shaggy throat. He took the lantern and. held it above his head, at the same time loosening bis bold on the leash. At that signal there came a voice from out of the night. It came from behind them, and Kazan whirled so suddenly that the loosely held chain slipped from the man's hand. He saw the glow of other lanterns. And then, once more, the voice "Kaft-aa-zan!" lip was off like a bolt Thorpe laughed to himself as he followed "The oW pirate!" he chuckled When he came to the ianuVn-Ughted space back of the caboose Thorpe found Kazan crouching down, at a woman's feet. It was Thorpe's wlfe She smiled triumphantly at him. aa he came un out cl the gloom. roil iuiiswviuwaiiuj ) , M rS7 I & Kf ETC! BU WA$X4JUi)UK il&HlBisV fmfcrjjam sira 3Mffcai& ssh. . j-s.i 5!-fT-tie rw; 4JiT-;'vni, li'ij trfcj' .wiL. .tuuji - ic i",.v. u.i . xn c t rjs fi j- r'w.T- i i- n i i 1 1 UbKVyj .fi ,n- .lunsi'LrTBiBRiTiriaBLn if. f r rumiuiiueiaKn i -a n-i i, in j ii-va f lujr. 3ftU3B$t&3S mmmmM&mmMmMmsmmi "You've won!" he laughed, not unhap pily. "I'd have wasored my last dollar he wouldn't do that for any voice on earth. You've won! Kazan, you brute, I've lost you!" His face suddenly sobered as Isobel stooped to pick up tho end of the chain. "lltt'a yours, Issy," he added quickly, "but you must let mo cars for him until we know. Give me the chain. I won't trust him even now, He's a wolf. I've seen him take an Indian's hand off at a single enap.' I've Been him tear out another dog's jugular In one leap. He's an outlaw a bad dog In spite of the fact that he hung to me like a hero and brought me out alive. I can't trust him. Give mo the chain ' He did not finish. With the snarl of a wild beast Kazan had leaped to his feet. His lips drew up and bared his long fangs. His spine stiffened, and with a sudden cry of warning, Thorpe dropped a hand to tho revolver at his belt. Kazan paid no attention to him. An other form had approached out of the night, and stood now In the circle of Illumination made bv the lanterns. It was McCready, w was to accompany Thorpe and his ; wife bock to the Bed IUver camp. .ier Thorpe was In charge of the building of the new Trans continental. The man was straight, pow erfully built and clean shaven:' His Jaw was bo square that It was brutal, and there was a glow In his eye that was almost like the passion in Kazan's as he looked at Isobel. Her red and white stocking cap had slipped free of her head and was hang ing over her ahoulder. The dull blaze of the lanterns shone in the warm glow of her hair. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes, suddenly turned to him. were as blue as the bluest bakneesh flower and glowed like diamonds. 11c Cready shifted hla gaze, and instantly her hand fell on Kazan's head. For the first time the dog did not seem to feel her touch. He still snarled at Mc Cready, the rumbling; menace in his throat trrowlny deeper, Thorpe's wife tugged at the chain.. "Down, Kazan down I" she oommanded. At the sound of her voice he relaxed. "Downl" she repeated, and her free hand fell on his head again. He slunk to her feet. But his lips were still drawn back. Thorpe was watching him. He wondered at the deadly venom that shot from the wolfish ejes, and looked at McCready, The blrculde had uncoiled hla long dog-whip. A fctrango look bad come into his face. He was staring hard at Kazan. Suddenly he leaned forward, with, both hands on hla knees, and for a tense moment or two he seemed to for get that Isobel Thorpe's wonderful blue eyes were looking at him. "Hoo-kooah, Pedro chsrgel" That one word charge was taught only to the doga in the service of tho North west Mounted Police. Kazan did not move. McCready straishtened and quick as a shot sent the lon lash of his wfilp curling out into the night with a crack like a, pistol report. "Charge, Pedro-charge "' The rumble in Kazan's throat deepened to a snarling: growl, but not a. muscle of bis body moved. McCready turned to Tfrorp. j osul4 tare awam tfc4 I kaew tint "Stop !" shouted tho m dog," he said. "If It's Pedro, he's bad!" Thorpe was taking thj chain Only tho girl saw tho look that came for an In stant Into McCrendy's face. It mado her shiver. A few minutes before, when tho train had first stopped at Lea Prb, sho had offered her hand to this man and she had seen the same thing then. But even as sho shuddered sho recalled the many things her husband had told her of the forest people. She had grown to love thorn, to admire their big, rough man hood and loyal hearts, before he had brought her among them; and suddenly she smllod at McCready, struggling to overcome that thrill of fear anddlsllkc. "Ho doesn't like you." she laughed at him softly, "Won't you make friends with him?" She drew Kazan toward him, with Thcrpo holding the end of the chain. Mc Cready came to her side as sho bent over the dog, His back was to Thorps as he hunched down. Isobel's bowed head was within a foot of his face. He could see the glow In her cheek and tho poutln? curve of her mouth as she quieted the low rumbling In Kazan's throat. Thorpo Mood ready to pull back on the chain, but for a moment McCready was between him and his wife, and he oould not se McCready's face. The man's eyes were not on Kazan. He was 'staring at the girl. "You're brave," he said. "I don't dare do that. He would take off my hand," ile took the lantern from Thorpe and led the way to a narrow snow-path branching off from the track. Hidden back In the thick spruce was the camp that Thorpe had left a fortnight before. There were two tents there now in place of the one that he and his guide had used. A big Are was burning In front of them. Close to the Are was a Ions sledge, and fastened to trees just wlthn the outer circle of firelight Kazan saw the shadowy forms and gleaming eyes of his teammates. He stood suit and motion less while Thorpe, fastened him to a sledge. Once more he was back in hla forests and in command. His mistress was laughing and clapping her bands de lightedly In the excitement 'of the strange and wonderful life of which she had now become a part. Thorpe had thrown back the flap of their tent, and ahe was enter ing ahead of him. She did not look back She spoke no word to him. He whined, and turned his red eyes on McCready, In the tent Thorpe was saying; I'm sorry old Jackplne wouldn't go back with us, Is?y, He drove me down, but for love or money I couldn't get him to return. He's a Mission Indian, and I'd give a. month's salary to have you see him handle the dogs. I'm not sure about this man McCready. He's a queer chap, the company' agent hero tells me, and known the woods like a book. But dogs don't like a stranger. Kazan isn't going to take to him worth a cent." , Kazan heard the girl's voice, and stood rigid and motionless listening- to It. He did not hear or see McCready when he came up stealthily behind him. The man's voice came as suddenly as a shot at hla heels. "Pedro!" In an instant Kazan cringed as if touched by a lash. "Got you that time didn't I. you old devil!" whispered McCxeady, hi face atranxely pale in the SrtUlbt. "Chtnitd your cunt, eh? Bat I Jfot you didn't It" HS-m jgugia. TuBnamt- jae.aaflwh-jiiaiijy. "OLIVER , JULmBBI curwood Jri nn. "He's dangerous !" Chapter III McCREADY PAYS THI3 DEBT. FOR a long time after ho had uttered those words McCready sat In silence besldo tho fire. Only for a moment or two at a tlmo did his eyes leave Kazan. After a little, when ho was auro that Thorpo and Isobel had retired for the night, he went Into hla owj tent and re turned with a flask of whisky. During tho next half hour he drank frequently. Then he went over and sat on tho end of the sledge, . eyond the reach of Kazan's chain. "Got you, didn't I?" he repeated, the effect of the liquor beginning to show In the glitter of his eyes. "Wonder who changed your name, Pedro. And how tho devil did he come by you? Ho, ho, If you could only talk " They heard Thorpe's voice Inside tho tent. It was followed by a low girlish peal of laughter, and McCready jerked himself erect. Hla face blazed suddenly red, and he rose to his feet, dropping the flask In hla coat pocket Walking around ths lire, he tiptoed cautiously to the shadow of a tree close to the tent and stood there for many minutes listening. Ills eyes burned with a fiery madness when he returned to the sledge and Kazan. It was midnight before he went Into his own tent. In the warmth of the fire Kazan's eyes slowly closed. He slumbered uneasily, and his brain was filled with troubled plc turea. At times he was fighting, and his jaws snapped. At others he was strain ing at the end of hla chain, with Mc Cready or his mlstreas just out of reach. He felt the gentle touch of the girl's hand again and heard the wonderful sweetness of her voice aa she sang to him and hla master, and his body trembled and twitched with the thrills that had filled him that night. And then the pic ture changed. He was running at the head of a splendid team six dogs of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police and his raast?r was calling him Pedro! The scene shifted. They were In camp. His master was jouns and smooth-faced and he helped, from the sledge another man whose hands were fastened In front of him by curious black rings. Again it was later and he was llng before a great Are. His master was sitting opposite him, with his back to a tent, and aa he looked, there came out of the tent the man with the black rings only now tho ring were gone and his hands were free, and In one of them he carried a heavy club. He heard the terrible' blow of the club as it fell on his master's head and the sound of it aroused him from his restless sleep. He sprang to his feet, his spine stiffen ing and a snarl In bis throat. The fire had died dov n and the camp, was n (he darker gloom that precedes da n. Through that gloom Kazan saw McCready. Again' he way standing close to the tent of his mlstreas, and, he knew now that this was the man wrjq had worn the black Iron rings, id that It was he who had beaten him with whip and club for Many lone days after fee had killed bis tauter. Uc- Cready heard the menace In his throat nnd enmo back quickly to the fire. He began to whistle and draw the half burned logs together, and ns the Are blazed up afresh he shouted to awaken Thorpo and Isobel. In a. few minutes Thorpo appeared at the tent-flnp and his wife followed him out. Her loose hair rippled In billows of gold about her shoul ders nnd sho sat down on the sledge, closo to Kazan, nnd began brushing It. McCready camo up behind her and fum bled among tho packages on the sledge. As If by accident one of his hands burled itself for an Instant In tho rich tresses that flowed down her back. She did not nt Arst feel the caressing touch of his Angers, and Thorpe's back was toward them. Only Kazan saw the stealthy movement of tho hand, the fondling clutch of the Anzers In her hair and the mad passion burning In the eyes of the man. Quicker than a. lyiix, tho dog had leaped the length of his chain across the sledge. McCready sprang back Just In time, and as Kazan reached the end of his chain he was jerked back to that hla body struck sldewlse ngalnst the girl. Thorpe had turned In time to see tho end of the leap, He believed that Kazan had sprung at Isobel, and In his horror no word or cry escaped his llpa as he dragged her from where she had half fallen over the sledge. He saw that she was not hurt, und ho reached for his revolver. It was In his holster in the tent. At his feet was Mc Cready's whip and in the passion of the moment he seized It and sprang upon Kazan. The dog crouched In the snow. He made no move to escape or to attack. Only once In his life could he remember having received a beating like that which Thorpe Inflicted upon him now. But not a whimper or a growl escaped him. And then, suddenly, his mistress ran forward and caught the whip poised above Thorpe's head. "Not another blow!" she cried, and something in her voice held hint from striking. McCready did not hear what she said then, but a strange look came Into Thorpe s eyes, and without a word he followed his wife into their tent. "Kazan did not leap at me," she whis pered, and she was trembling with a sud den excitement. Her face was deathly white. 'That man was behind me," she went on, clutching her husband by the arm. " felt him touch me and then Kazan sprang. He wouldn't bite me. It's the man! There's somethins wrong " She was almost sobbing, and Thorpe drew her close tn his arm, "I hadn't thought before but it's strange," he said. "Didn't McCready say something about knowing the dog? It's possible. Perhaps he's had Kazan before and abused him in a way that the dog has not forgotten. Tomorrow I'll And out. But until I know will you promise to keep away from Kazan?" Isobel gave the promise. When, they came out from the tent Kazan lifted hla great head, The stinging lash had closed one of his veyes and his mouth, was drip pins blood, Isobei gave a low sab, "but did not go near him. Halt blinded, he knew that his mistress had stopped his punish-, meat, and he whined softly, and. wagged his thick tail in the snow. to through the long hard hours of the day that followed, when he broke the trail for his teammntea into the North. One of his eyes was closed and filled with stinging lire, nnd hla body wan sore from the blows of tho cnrlbou lash. But It Was not physical pain that gave tho sullen droop to his head and robbed his body of that keen quick alertness of tho lead dog tho commander of his mates. It was his spirit. For tho first time In hla life. It was broken. y McCready had beaten him long ago; his master hnd beaten him; and during all this day their voices were fierce and vengeful In his ears. But It was hl mistress who hurt him most. She held aloof from him, always beyond tho reach of hla leash; and when they stopped to rest, and again In camp, sho looked at him with strange and wondering eyes, and did not speak. She, too, was ready to beat him. Ho believed that, and so slunk away from her and crouched in his belly In tho snow. With him, a broken Bplrlt moant a broken heart, nnd that night he lurked In ono of tho deepest shadows about the camp-fire nnd grieved alone. None knew thnt It was grief unless It was tho girl. Sho did not move toward him. She did not speak to him. But she watched him closely and studied him hardest when he was looking at Mc Cready. Lator, nfter Thorpe nnd his wife had gone Into their tent, It began to snow, and the effect of the snow upon McCready puzzled Kazan. Tho mnn wns restless, and he drank frequently from tho flask that hn had used tho night before. In the firelight his f-co grew redder and red der, and Kazan could see the strange gleam of his teeth as he gazed nt tho tent In which Ills mlstrcsi was sleeping. Again nnd ngaln he went closo to that tent, nnd listened. Twice l.o heard move ment Tho last tlmo It wns tho sound of Thorpe's deep breathing. McCready hur ried back to tho Arc and turned his face straight up to the sky. The snow was falling bo thickly that when he lowered his face he blinked and wiped his eyes. Then he went out Into the gloom and bent low over tho trail they had mado a few hours before. It was almost ojlitcratcd by tho falling Bnow. Another hour nnd there would be no trail nothing tho next day to tell whoever might pass that they had come this way. By morning It would cover everything, even tho Are, if ho al lowed It to die down. McCready drank again, out In the darkness. Ix)w words of un Insane Joy burst from his lips. Ills head wns hot with n drunken Are. His heart beat madly, but scarcely more furi ously than did Kazan's when tho dog saw that McCready was returning .with n, club. The club he placed on end ngalnst a tree. Then ho took a lantern from ths sledge and lighted It. Ho approached Thorpo's tent-flap, the lantern In his hand. "Ho, Thorpe Thorpe!" he called. There wns no answer. He could hear Thorpo breathing. Ho drew the flap aside a little and raised his voice. "Thorpe!" Still there was no movement Inside, and ho untied the flap strings and thrust In his lantern. The light flashed on Isobel'a golden head, and McCready started at It. his eyes burning like red coals, until he saw that Thorpe was nwnkenlng. Quickly ho dropped tho flap and rustled It from the outside. "Ho, Thorpe! Thorpe!" he called again. This time Thorpe replied, "Hello, McCready Is that you?" McCready drew the flap back a little and spoke in a low voice. "Yes. Can you come out a minute? Something's happening out In the woods. Don't wake up your wife!' He drew back and waited. A minute later Thorpe came' quietly out of tho tent. McCready pointed Into the thick spruce. "I'll swear there's somo ono nosing around tho camp," ho said. "I'm certain that I saw a mnn out there a few minutes ago when I went for a log It's a good night for stealing dogs. Here you take the lantern! If I wasn't clean fooled, we'll And a trail In the snow." He gave Thorpe the lantern and picked up tho heavy club, A growl rose In Kazan's throat, but ..e choked It back. He wanted to snarl forth his warning, to leap at the end of his leash, but he knew that If he did that they would" re turn and beat him. So he lay still, 'trem bling and shivering, and whining softly. Hq watched them until they disappeared and then wajted listened. At last ha heard the crunch of snow. He was not surprised to see McCready como back alone. He had expected htm to return alone. For he knew what a club meant) McCready's face was terrible now. It was like a beast's. He was hatless, Ka zan slunk deeper In his shadow at the low horrible laugh that fell from his lips for the man still held the club. In a moment he dropped that and approaphed the tent. ' He drc-v back the flap and peered In, Thorpe's wife was sleeping, and aa quietly as a cat he entered and hung the lantern on a nail in the tent pole, Hla movement did not awaken her, and for a few moments he stood there, star ing staring. Outside, crouching in the deep shadow, Kazan tried to fathom the meaning of these strange things (hat were happen ing. Why had his master and Mc Cready gone out into the forest? Why had not his master returned? It was his master! and not McCready, who belonged in that tent. Then why was McCready there? He watched McCready as he entered, and suddenly the dog was on his feet, his bacK tense and Druuin, him limbs rigid. He saw McCready's huge shadow on the canvas, and. a moment later there came a strange pea ing cry. In the wild terror of that cry he recognized her voice and he leaped toward the tent. The leash stopped him, choking the snarl In his throat lie. saw the shadows struggling now, and there came cry after cry. She was calling q hla master, and with his master's name she was calling himl "Kazan Kazan " He 'leaped again, and was thrown pe his back, A second and a third time he sprang the length of.'tbe leash Inte the night, and the bablche cord abawt his neck cut into his flesh like a knife. He stopped for an Instant, gasping tar breath. The shadows, were still flgbUng. Now they were upright! Now, they were crumpling aonn: vvun a nerce snari mm (lung- his whole weight Juce sore at the end of the chain. There, waa a wiajfc as the thong about his neck gave away, Continued, in T&Mt&trow'g Em v.l If 3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers