The evening world. Newspaper, October 20, 1915, Page 17

GOD’S COUNTRY- AND THE WOMAN The M: Romance of a Man and in the Frozen North By JAMES OLIVE (Oren, 1995, by Dewinteg Page & 08) looking at him calmly SrROPA OF PRECEDING CHAPTENe ©WA* Jean Jacques “ire har io CHAPTER VIII. I | INABLAS to believe that what he mw wae not an lusion, Philp stood and stared at the halfbreed, No word fell from bis lips, Me @ move. And Jean met his eyes en without betraying a tremor of ment or of fear, In another moment Pbilip’s hand went to bis pistol. As) CHAPTER VII. he half drew i his confused brain saw a ay pom fihecgp whieb made bim gasp rat not afraid of m second Croiseet showed no signs of the ven caution 88 aght in the forest which hi | fost in te mad Gestre to por more than ten pain ager bg ofore, catch Joan red-handed and ie wag wearing a pair of laced Hud. choke a confession of sev- ” son's Bay boots, 70d things from bie lips, If Jean had the snow Phir ge ig? ype @addenly risen out of the anow he gripped his enowy's foot, and he kuew Would not have used hie piwtol un- At he bad worn moccasina, And lees f to do #0. He wanted to een Was not winded, He was breath. orced ing easily, And now Philip saw ‘de band to hand with the treacherous behind the calmneas in ha en the re Balfbreed, and his breath came in Wee @ tense and anxious inquiry, ting oss a0 he Fan, Slowly the truth broke upon bim. it sen ore ould not have been Jean with whor Guddenty he stopped short. Hoe had he had fought in the edge of the for. @truck the trail. Here Croisset had ast! He advanced a step or two to- @tood, fifty yards from his window, Ward the halforeed, his hand still resting uncertainly on his a when bo fired. ‘The snow was beaten Until then did Jean speak. and: there The Evening World Daily Magazin | HAVE To COUNT iE NUNBER of THe PUMP AND Bann ND THE down, and from the spot his retreat- was no pretense in his voice: ing footsteps led toward the forest. “The Virgin be braised, you are not Like « dog Philip followed the trail. pafly Mur, Aislcur?) he exclaimed, , a little blo ‘The first timber was thinned by the face, Did the glass cut you?" eeetey axe, and the moon lighted up the in ne eee Flt. “L overtook him White spaces ahead of him. He was '8 the edge of the forest. jot for an instant had hi Balt actos tho darker wall of the Crolaset. Now he saw him sucer tre e@pruce when his heart gave a sudden dark face took on @ strange pallor jump. He bad heard the enar! of a Hoe leaned forward and his breath i came in a quick gas Gog, the Inwh of a whip, a man's low “rng regult?” ba! me aa he was youre Reauitr’ he demanded. “Did el “He escaped." The sounds came from the dense — The tense lines on Croisset's face a taretien and told Bim that f0l4xed. Philip turned and bolted the Jean was not looking for immediate “You are giad that the man who pursuit. He slipped in among the bi A kin a escaped?” he asked, shadows quietly, and a few me gree romp Hess aud quiet decisive- brought him to « emailer open space mye Men nan ars where a few trees had been cut. In was not for you. It was intended for this little clearing # silm dark figure bred foycargllad sate Bee When I ard the shot to-night I did no of @ man was otraightening out the wit it meant. A iittie later foc led traces of a sledge team. to your room and found the broken Wlip could not eee bis face, but ho window and the bullet mark in the knew that it was Jean. It was Jean's wail, This is M'sieur Adare's old figure, Jean's movement, his low, room, and the bullet was intended for sharp voice as he spoke to the dogs. him,’ And now, M’sieur Philip, why Man and huskies were not twenty do you gay that 1 ath responsible toe et from him. With a tense breath (he attempt to kill you, or the mas- Philip replaced hia plato! in ite hol- certs : ater. He did not want to kill, and he “You have convicted yourself,” de- possessed a proper respect for the cjared Philip, his eyes pA ivbsig oy be hair trigger mechanism of his auto- t ago you said you were glad tho matic. In tho fight he anticipated assassin escaped!” with Jean the weapon would be safer replied Jean in the in its holster than in his hand, Jean same quiet voice. “Why I am giad I was at present unarmed, except for wil jeave to your imagination. Unless his hunting knife, His rifle leaned 7 still had faith in you and was sure against a tree, and in another mo- of your great love for our Josephine, ment Philip wi between the gun and { would have lied to you. You weré e half- told that you would meet with One of the sledge dogs betrayed gtrange things at Adare House. You him. At its low and snarling warning gaye your oath that you would make the half-breed whirled about with the jo effort to discover the secret which ness of a lynx, and he was half is guarded here. And this early, the y when Philip launched himself first night, you threaten me at the his throat, They»went down free and of w pistol.” p's hands had reached Bis paw” 15 grisned “ane Mares ote @nemy's throat, but with a swift tabie with his thin fingers and bis movement of his arm the half-breed Alerter Mgeag ba a Mn wrenched it off and slipped out from Sarg pce ay stacey deg poe under his assailant with the agility M’sieur, are you accusing me of turn- of an eel. Both were on their feet in ing traitor to the Master and to her, an instant, facing each other in the to our Josephine, whom I have tiny moonilt arena a dozen feet from ‘atced and puarded and prayed for the silent and watchful dogs. since the day she first opened her Even now Phillp could not eee the eyes to the world? Do you accuse me half-breed’s features because of @ SF tnat-1. Jenn Jacques Croisset, who hood drawn closely about his face. would die a thousand deaths by tor- The “breed” had made no effort to Would die & thousand Gos Oy iter draw a weapon, and Philip ftung ture that she mi himself upon him again, Thus in “ ii¢ leaned over the table as if about open. batile his greater physical , 149 leaned over the table as If abaitt strength and advantage | of Atty ringers relaxed, tho fire died out of gounda in weight would have won fingers relaxed, ene an back tn bia for Philly. Rut, the forret ioaive chair. In the face of the half-breed’s outburst Philip had remained speech- ness of the big, fur-padded cat of the Te iN peetete « it vou tka trap Inet. reed made no effort to donot intond to break ‘my word given evade Philip's assault. He met the to Josephine. I demand no answer to shock of attack fairly, and went down questions whioh may concern her, for With him, But this time his back that is my promise. But between you Yas to the watchful semicircle of and mo there are certain things which a and with a sharp, plereing com- must be explained, 1 concede that I fnand he pitched back among them, was mistaken in believing that it was Sragging Philip with him, Too late you with whom I fought in the forest. Philip realized what the cry meant. But it was you who looked through He tried to fling himself out of reach my window earlier in the night, with of the threatening fangs, and freed @ pistol in your hand. You would one hand to reach for his pistol. have killed me if I had not turned.” This saved him from the dogs, but Genuine surprise shot into Jean's gave the half-breed his opportunity, face. Genin he wag on his feet, the butt ““t have not heen near your window, of hig dog-whip tn his hand. As the wsieur, Until I returned with M’sleur foonlight gtinted on the barrel of Kaace 1 was waiting up the river the automatic, he brought the whip soveral miles from here. Since then I down with a crash on Philip's head have not left the house, Josephine cand then again and again, and an4q ner tather can tell you this if Phillp pitched backward into the 2nd Mer moter, ey. ws ossiblel” ex. Maite was pot wholly unconscious ciaiined Pini. -“T could Rot havo J sid on a t was you.” fallen the half-breed had turned ae ora Tt was y Lae Bgtln to the Ome rout the. traces, M'siour? Sho will tell you that t fe eleubconmcloa ert of ray, Pip SOA Pet neve Poet One why he did not take ad~ ‘ Monies of his opportunity and finish ‘It must have been the man who Mit he had failed to do with tho shot at you," replied Joa Wilet through the window, Philip “And you’ know who that man In, heard him run back for his gun, and and yet refusn to tell mo in order that re at of the dogs, the forest man under. One of Philt t iggie to his knees, he may have another opportunity of LT yh e shot he half expected finishing what he failed to do to- there came the low “Hoosh—hoosh— night. The most T can do fs to Inform {" of the forest man's voice John Adare.” ey ‘edge moved, He fought ‘You will not do that,” sald Jean himself up and swayed on his knees, confidently. ‘7atn ha showed ex- staring after the retreating shadows. ¢cjtement. Do you know what it He aaw his automatio in the snow and would mean?” he demanded. crawled to it, It was another minute ‘prounle for you," volunteered before he could stand on his feet, and pyitp. then he was dizzy. Ho staggered ang rnin for Josephine an fon tres and for @ apace leaned 5.0: the youso of 4 inst tt. Croisset swiftly. “As soon as Adare was some mimites before he was could lace his moccasina ho would steady enough to walk, and by that tare yp that trail owt there. He would thme he knew that it would be fuN@ come to the end of it, and then—mon sb pureue the half-breed and his ewifts Deut—in that hour the world would footed dogs, weakened and halfdressed Dimi —am that Bove | faving used Sis platal to compel Jean's Kasped Philip, stare into the halt- murrender, He acknowledged that hb aad been @ fool and that he had de. eervi . You insist on giving this mur- pts he red it, His you. You mn ie m 9G Sey en roused Aye and with derer another chance. You as much | 2UGaing of rellet he went to his room, as agy that by giving him a second the door, but madness?” in @ chair close to the table, An almost gentle smile flickered 1 AH READY NE_I50 PLEASE BE FEET oF FIRE HOSE ATED I'LL H To FIGHT THAT AND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER MY BARN Is ON FIRE Rus over Jean's lips. He looked at Philip as if marvelling that the other could not understand. “Within an hour it will be Jacques Croisset who will take up the trail," he replied softly, and without “It is I, and not the master of Adare House, who will come to the end of that ¢ will be no other shot no one will ever know—but you and They must be lonely in the woodsy graves, known her to bring an Indian baby a hundred miles, and some of these I have seen die in her arms, while she crooned to them a song of Heaven. And five times as many Little ones she has saved, M’sieur, even the winds in the treetops whis- per her name, L'Ange! seem to you that even the moon shines: was not later than 7 o'clock and ¢he room was still dark. As he and Adare breakfast, the talk turned to winter sports. Adare spoke up grimly: “Winter brings close to our doors the one unpleasant feature of this country,” he said, turning to light a “Thirty-five miles to the north and west of us there is what the Indians call ‘Muchemunito Nek’—the Devil's Nest, Free ‘Trader's house. A man down in Mon- treal by the name of Lang owns a string of them, and hig agent over at the Devil's Nest is @ scoundrel of the t amoking after boastfulness, ‘That is why er that, and second cigar, “You mean that you will follow and kill him—and that John Adare must never know that an attempt has been made on his life?” “He must never know, M'sleur, And what happens in the forest at the beth of the trail the trees will never mounds and the crosses?” “Yos,"" breathed Philip reverently. Jean pointed to a larger mound, the one guardian mound of them all, ris- ing @ little above the others, its cross lifted watchfully above the other crosses; and he satd, as if the spirits themselves were listening to him: my ‘wife, my She died threes years ago, but she Is with me always, and even now her beloved voice ts singing in my heart, telling me that it is not black and cold where she and the ‘© waiting, but that all is beautiful. M’sleur’—his voice dropped to a whisper—"could 1 sell my hereafter with her for the price of another woman's love on Philip tried to speak; and strangely after a moment ‘he succeeded in say- ‘There are @ score of half-breeds and whites in his crowd, and not one of them with an honest hair in his head, its the one criminal rendezvous [ know of in all this North country, “Bad Indians who have lost credit jay Company's Whites and it~ broken the laws are “And the reason for this secrecy you will not confide in me?" “I dure not, M'sieur.” Philip leaned across the table. “Perhaps you will, Jean, when you know there Is no longer tween Josephine and m “To-night she told me everything. I have seen the baby. Her secret she has given to me freel made no difference. morrow I shall this make-believe, me that she wil ried secretly. No one will ever know His face was filled with the flush Ono of his hands caught Jean's in the old grip of friendship Jean did not reply. But his face betrayed what he did not Once or twice before Phillip had seen the same look of anguish the tightening of Ines around the corners of his mouth. Slowly the half-breed rose from the table and turned a little from Phillp. In a moment Philip was at his aide. “Joan!” ho oried softly, “you love at the Hudson’ 0 to Thoreau reeds who have harbored there. zen murdered éach winter for thelr furs, and the assassing ar reau's men. Oni is going to be a while, they are ‘@1 There is a deep swamp between our e and Thoreau the open water seaso are a hundred miles away from them When winter comes we thirty-five miley sledge-dogs run. 1 don't Li ¢an snow-shoe the distance in a few among Tho- ‘k her to end all nd my heart tel ‘We can be ma ant company. jo that during it means we “Jean, an hour ago I thought I waa I eee how far short of that I Forgive me, and let mo be your broth Such yours is my love for Josephine. And to-morrow" — “Despair will open up and swallow you to the depths of your soul,” rupted Jean gently. “Return to your room, M’sieur, love that will be yours in heaven, ae T live for my Iowaka's. For that love will ‘be yours, up there, Josephine has loved but one man, and that is I have watched and I have aecen. But fn this world she can never be more to you than ghe is now, for what ‘ou to-night is the least of the terrible thing that is eating away —of confidence. “I know of such a place far to the Hudson's Bay Company and Kevelllon Freres have threatened to put it out of business, but tt still remains, haps that Is owned by Lang, too.” He had joined Adare at the window, The next moment both men staring at the same object in a mutual Into the white snow space betwen the house and the forest there had walked swiftly the slim, red tigure of Josephine, her face turned her hair falling ip @ Fight for the No sign of passion was in Jean's face as he met the other's eyes. “How do you mean, M’sleur?” he father and a asked quietly. brother, or as a man? “aA man,” sald Philip. Tt was a smite of deep as if suddenly had burst upon him a light which he had not seen before. her as the flowers love the . as the wood violets love the uching Philip's arm. ir, 19 not what you love of a man. to the forest, long braid down her back, understanding, The master of Adare chuckled ex- out into the moonlight Jean walked, head erect, in the face of the forest. And Philip stood look- ing after him over the little garden of crosses until he had disappeared. CHAPTER IX, OHN ADARBP did not fail tn his promise to rouse Philip “There goes our Uttle Red Riding “She beat us She ts golng after Phflip's heart was beating wildly. understand as the There is one other whom I love in another way, sweetest music in the world, whose heart beats with leada me day and night through the forests, and who whispers to me of our sweet love in my dreams—lowaka, Come, M’steur; I will take Josephine alone could not have come He feared that his voice might betray him as be laid a hand whose voice you will excuse me T will join id. “I know it doesn't seem it to tear off In this way, but Philip Jumped out of bed In response to Adare’s heavy rt knock at the door, he judged that it —you # "It is late—too tate," voiced Philip wonderingly, But as he spoke he followed Jean. The half-breed seemed to have risen oul of lis world Bow. Philp followed headed, with the moonlight streaming down from above: only when Jean stopped, close to a Httle plot where a dozen wooden above a dozon snow- Gul tate the THE EVENING WORLD’S Novel Each W rothing youresif of the richest fiction treat ever readers of a newepaper. and he stopped crosses rose covered mounds, Jean stopped, and his hand fell on Philip's arm. “These are Josephine's,” softly, with a aweep of his “she calls it ‘her Garden of Little Flowers, They are ochfidren, Some am babies, When a Uttle one dies—4f it ts not too far away—she brings tt to Le Jardin—her garden, 80 that it may not sleep alone under the lonely spruce, b ‘howling over breed's tense face, “I don’t think you are lying, Joan, But you must bo eawhat ho wok, The hall whe mad, And T am mad for listening to ff'the walls had fallen about his opportunity to Kl! John Adare you could not have received @ are proving your loyalty to Josephine Sean ttes than when ho entered and her father, Can that be anything TE CITY To Ger FIRE HOSE G D A FIRE EXTINGUISHER-)(3 UL THE FIRE To WAIT. I WONT BE LONG Adare interrupted him with one of his booming laughs. “Go, my lad. I understand. If it was Miriam instead of Mignonne run- ning away like that, John Adaré wouldn't be waiting this long.” Philip turned and left the room, every pulse in his body throbbing with an excitement roused by the knowledge that the bour had come when Josephino would give herself to him forever, or doom him to that hopelenaness for which Jean Crolsset had told him to prepare himself. CHAPTER X. = IHREB or four hundred yards in the forest Philip over- took Josephine, He had come up silently in the soft snow, and sho turned, a little startled, when he called her name. “You, Philip!" #he exclaimed, the color deepening quickly in ber cheeks. “T thought you were with father in the big room.” She had never looked lovelfer to him. From the top of her hooded head to the hem of her short skirt she was dressed in @ soft and richly glowing red. Her eyes shone gloriously this morning, and about her mouth there was a tenderness and @ sweetness which had not been there the night be- fore, The lines that told of her strain and grief were cong. She seemed like @ different Josephine now, confessing in this first thrilling moment of their meeting that she too had been living in the memory of what had passed be- tween them a few hours before. And yet in the gentle weloome of her stnile there was @ mingling of sadness apd of pathos that tempered’ Philt, he came to her and took her “My Josephine!” he cried softly, She did not move as he bent down. Axain he felt the warm, sweet thrill of her lips. He would have kissed her again, have clasped her close in his arms, but she drew away from him am glad you saw me—and fol- Jowed, Philip,” ahe said, her clear, beautiful eyes meeting his. “It ls a wonderful thing that has happened to us. And we must talk about it. We must understand. I was on my way to the pack. Will you come?" They had gone but a few steps When Josephine paused close to the fallen trunk of a huge cedar. With her mittened hands she brushed off the snow, seated herself, and mo- toned Philip to ait bestde her. "Let us talk here,” she said. And then she asked @ Uttle anxiously: ‘You left my father belleving in you tn us?’ “Fully,” replied Philip. Ha took her fave prrees hia two hands and 0 up to his, Her fingers clasped his arms. But the: meds no effort to pull down the hands that pee her eyes looking straight into bie “He belleves tn us," he repeated. “And you, Josephine, you love me?” Ho saw the tremulo forming of a word on her lips, she did not opeak, A oy glow came into her eyes, Gen! er fingers crept to his wrists, and sho took down fle hands her face and drew him to the seat at her side. "Yes, Philip,” she said then, In a voles ao low and calm that it roused & new sense of fear in him. “There can be no ein in telling you that— after last night. For we undtestand will go off You will nev think that you have died in the deep snows. You have promised me this, And you will not fail mo?” yes. e, Wednesday. October 20, 1915 have told me, and it makes no differ- ence, except to make me love you more. Become my wife. We can be married secretly and no one will ever know. My God, you cannot drive me away now, Josephine! It is not jus- tice, If you love me~tt is a crime!” In the flerceness of his appeal he did not notice how his woi were driving the color from her face, Stith sho answered bim calmly, in her voice 4 aren tenderness, Strong in her jf faith in him she put her hands to his shoulders and looked into bis eyes. “Have you forgotten?” she asked gently. “Have you forgotten all that promined and all that I told you? Philip. for all nity, 18 {¢ not enous! wi ju throw that away—because—my y body~—is not free?” Her voice broke In a dry aob; but atill looked into his eves, waiting for him to answer—for the soul of bim to ring true. And ho knew what must be. His hands lay clenched be- tween them. Jean seemed to rise up before him at the grave sides and from hia lips he foroed the words: “Then there is something more— Ton she replied, and her hands from his shoulders. “Thore \s that of which I warned you—some- thing which you could not know it you lived a thousand years.’ He caught her to him now, so clos that his breath swept her face. “Jonophine, if it -waa the baby alone you would give yourself to me? You would be my wife?” “Yes.” “Then you have not killed my hope!" he cried. Hie enthusiasm, the strength aod suren of him as he atood before her, cont the flush back into her own face. She rose and reached to one of his outstretched hands with her own. hope for nothing more “You mu than I have given you,” she sald. “A month from to-day you will leave Adare House and will never return. “A month!" He breathed the words as if ina dream. “Yes, a month from to-day. You @ snowshoe journey. return, and they will “What I have promised I will do,” he replied, and his voice was now as calm as her own. “And for this one month—you are mine!" “To love as I have given you lo yea.” For @ moment he folded her in his arms; and then he drew back her hood #0 that he might lay a hand on her shining hair, and his eyes were filled with a wonderful illumination as he looked into her upturned face. “A month is a long time, my Jose- phine,” he whispered. “And after that month there are other monthe— yeara and years of them, and through ears, if tt must be, my will ‘ive. Yoy cannot destroy it, and some day, somewhere, you will send yore ‘me. Will you promise to do that?” “If such @ thing becomes possible, “Then I am satisfied,” he sald, ‘I am going to fight for you, Josephine. No wan ever fought for a woman ae I am going to fight for you. know whet this strange thing is that "t us, But I can think of neparates nothing terrible enou; to frighten me, I am going to it, mentally and physteally, day and night—until you are my own. I cannot lose you now, That will be what God never meant to be, I shall keep all my promises to you, You have given me 4 month, and much can happen in that time, If at the end of the month I have failed—I will go. But you will not send me away, For I shall win!” So eure was he, eo filled with the conviction of his final triumph, eo like a god to her in this moment of his greatest etrength, that Josephine drew slowly away from him, her breath coming quickly, her eyes filled with the starlike pride and glory of the Woman who has found @ Master, For a moment they stood facing each other dn the white atiliness of the forest, and in that moment there came to them the low and mourning wail of a dog beyond. And theg the full volce of the pack Durat thrbugh the wilderness, a music that was wild and savage, and yet through which @ there ran a strange and plaintive note for Josephine, or have caught us in the wind,” the |. holding out her hand to him. “Come, Phittp. I want you to love my Deasts.” CHAPTER XI. FTPR a little the trail through the thick spruce gtew narrow and dark, and Josephine went ahead of Philip. The votes of the paok came to them stronger each moment, yet for a space {t was unheard by him. His mind— all the senses he possessed—travelled THE FREEBOOTER now. With him she ran in wom i cance? I Was thie ‘in spite of ali Strands of braid ted become that may happen. 1 will receive more Partly undone, covering her waist ane than ali ¢lee in ihe world could give hips in a shimmering vell of gold. Me me. For i will have known you, and 1o4 © touch that rare treseure you will be my ssivation Those words have been ringing in my heart With bie hands, He was Giled witb Ait s eetenetand tha, T underetand cose im hie ‘ya bo tee 1 them; I understand ciose ree RS come che cats that 8 © chat thio wee o thing whieh he or ave low end lost than never to have loved at all? You, it Is oor en ee ee ee oe a thowsand times better The love that i lost ie often the love that ts -_ ouceten pas pore. ane mee yOu io nearest Heaven ib is Joan's love the for his lost wife. Buch must be your Y -} love for me. And when you are £008 lin: in her eyes, my life will still be with the “"Buddeniy she ran o little ahead ep le him and then stopped. a. oe were peering into t looked meant to love as Sean must love. nt, dimly lghted and sorpetan WL CS irae ror the apace of 0 hundred feet ta yon bave oad that lt will be diameter the spruce had been down in that other world to which filled with you will go.” “ n ing eyes Ho had listened to her like one were half fire in the gloom. wolfish beasts of pack. The od, and his voice came in a #ud- had ‘their Bed clamor, broken cry of protest and of palm. wight of Josephine and sound of her “Then you mean—-that after thie— yoice, as she cried out to will aull send me away? After them, there ran through the fast night? it ie impossibie! You space a whining and a clinking of wing, and with that a snapping of jaws that sent @ momentary up Philip's back. Josephine took him by the hand il them, calling out their names, ing with them, caressing the heads that were thrust until It seemed to Philip beast in the pit was straint end of his chain to get at ¢ rend them into pleces. And this thought, the nervousness that could not fight out of himself, rose the wonder of it all, Philip had seen a husky snap off a man's hand at @ single lunge; he knew it was « oreature of the whip apts re bas been no change since then “And the club, with the hatred of men —no change that frees me. here can be no change. | love you, ls that not more than you expected? If one can give one’s soul away I give mine to you. It ls you inborn in it from the wolf, What he looked oo now filled him with a sort of awe-—and a fear for Josephine. gave @ warning cry and his pistol when she dropped knees and flung her arma ohagey head of a huge could have torn the life from her an instant. She looked up lesen ing, Fo re fangs in, t 0. Covers | peopiness close to her it ” 7 ce “Don't be afraid, Philip!” she “They are my pete—all of them. is Captain, who leads my sledge Isn't he magnificent?" “Good God!" breathed Philip, ing about him. “I know something of sledge dogs, Josephine. These not from mongrel breeds. There i Garis Ei i he She rose and stood besiie tim, panting, triumphant, “Yea—they've all got the strain of wolf,” she said. “That is why I tove them, Philip. They are of the forests, And I have made them love me!” A yellow beast, with gerous eyes, was leaping fi the end of his chain close to Phillp pointed to him. “And you would trust yourself there?” he exclaimed, catching her by the arm. “That ts Hero,” she seid. “Ones his name was Soldier. Three years Oo a man from Thoreau's Place of- fered me an insult in the woods, and Soldier almost killed him. He would have killed him if I had not 4: him off. From that day I called Hero. He ts a quarter-etrain wolf,” She went to the husky, and the yel- low giant leaped up against her, so that her arma were about him, with hie wolfish muzzle reaching her face. Under the cedars Philip's face was as white as the snow out in the open, irons saw this, and came and put i puppyhood. And they would me~just as you would fight Philip, Once I was lost in a storm, love them. They will not harm you, They will barm nothing that I have touched. I have taught them that, T am going to unleash them now. Me- toosin is coming along the trail with their fro: fish.” she had moved, Philip went up to the yellow creature “Hero,” he spoke softly, “Hero™— He held out his hands, The husky’s eyes burned a deeper et for an instant his upper lip drew back, baring his astiletto-Itke fangs, and the hair along his neck and stood up Iike a brush, Then, inch by inch, his muszle drew nearer to Phil« ip'a steady hands, and a low whine rose in his throat. Hts crest his ears shot forward a little, Fairs hand rested on the wolfish ead. “That ta proof,” he laughed, turn. ing to Josephine. “Tf he had snapped off my hand I would say thet you were wrong.” She passed quickly from one dog to another now, with Philip close at her side, and from the collar of each dog she snapped the chain. After sho had freed a dozen, Philip to help her. A few of the snarled at him. Yet in their eyes he saw the smouldering menace, the that wanted only a word from to turn them into a horde of tearing i Tusepliie came and swood Philip's side, and put her hands ta his shoulders. “They have all geen with now,” ‘she cried after that, “ have seen me touch you. Not one Ap at you after this.” swept on ahead of them tn a great Wave as they left the spruce shelter. Out in the clear ligne Pitty drew a deep breath. He had neves seen anything like this pack. They crowded shoulder to shoulder, body to body, in the open trail, Most of them were the tawny dun and gray and yellow of the wolf, There were a ; blacks, and a few whites, none that wore th apote o! a the soft-footed and # dogs from the south, (To Be Contigued.y