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