Show f Lr i T The Story if f KAZAN L a 4 pl a TheS The That r i S T Turned er d Wolf f By y JAMES OLIVER LIVER CURWOOD Copyright Merrill Bobbs-Merrill Co Co t WITH WONDERFUL ANIMAL INSTINCT I KAZAN AZAN SENSES DEATH NEAR HIM AND LOVING JOAN DECIDES TO STAY BY HER TEMPORARILY Kazan a vicious Alaskan sledge dog og quarter one wolf saves the life Ufe of Thorpe his bis master and Is tal taken en along when the master goes to civilization to meet his brI bride e and return with her to the frozen country coun coun- try Even Tho Thorpe pe is afraid to touch o ll Kaz Kazan n but Isobel the dogs dog's new mistress wins his affection at one once once el On the way northward McCready McCready McCready Mc- Mc Cready a team dog driver Joins the party and the following night beats the master Insensible and attacks the bride e. e Kazan kills McCrea McCready McCready Mc- Mc I Crea Cready y flees to the woods Joins a n wolf pack whips the leader takes a young mate Gray Wolf an and a few nights later drives off the pack which had attacked 1 human beings and protects a sick man his daughter daugh daugh- ter Joan and her baby V Won on by their kindness ness the thc wolf dog submits to adoption by Joan I CHAPTER VII VII VII-Cor VII Continued 7 7 Pierre knelt beside her He was proffering something and and Kazan smelled meat But But it it was the girls girl's hand that made him tremble and shiver an and when when she drew back urging him to follow her he dragged himself painfully a foot or two through the snow Not until then di did the girl see his bis mangled leg In an instant she had forgotten all caution and was down down n close at his sl side e. e lie He cant can't walk she cried crie a sud sudden en trem tremble le in her voice L ok mon pere Here I is a a terrible cri ble c cnut cutt t We Ve must carry 1 him bim 5 I I III guessed that much replied e TIa Kad- Kad isson s on for fp tp that tr re son brought t the blankets blanket listen isten t to that 1 FrOm From the the darkness of forest there came a low l w walling wailing cry c Kazan lifted Iii l head and a trembling trembling trem trem- bling t whine answered In n his ls throat It was was Gray Wolf Volf c calling to him It was a miracle that Pierre Radis- Radis S 'S soil sort Ils should pub ut t about KaTan Ka Kazan zap Tan aird carry h him u uin in in to the camp campi without without- scratch or bite It was this miracle that he achieved with Joans Joan's arm re resting on Kazan's shaggy neck as she held one end of the blanket They laid him down lown close to the fire firc and after after after aft aft- er a little it was the man again who brought warm water and washed away the ithe bloo blood from the torn leg an and then put soi ething on it that was soft and warm and dad coining and finally bound boun bounda a a. cloth about it All this was strange and new to Ka Ka- zan Pierres Pierre's hand as well as the the- girls girl's stroked stroke his head It was the man vh who brought him Ii a a gruel of ot meal and tallow and urge urged him to eat while Joan sat with Tier her chin in An her two han hands s looking at the dog and talking to him After this wIlen henr he was quite comfortable and no longer afraid he lw heard a n strange small cry from the furry bundle bundi on on th the sledge that brought his head up wi with th a Jerk Joan saw taw th the nent nn and heard the low answering whimper in his his' throat She turned quickly to the bundle talking and cooing to It as sh she took It ft t in her arms and ano then she pulled back the bearskin so that Kazan could coul see sec He ha had never seen seen a baby before and Joan held it out out before him so that he could look straight at atIt atIt atit It and see sec what a wonderful creature It was Its little pink face stared store steadily stead stead- steadily ily By at Kazan Its tiny fists reached out and it made queer little sounds at at af l him m an and then suddenly Jt H kicked e and screamed with delight and laughed At those sounds Kazan's whole body re relaxed and he dragged himself to the girls girl's feet j I See he likes the baby she cried Mon Ion perri pere pere we must give him a name What shall it be he c Wait Walt till tm morning for that replied the father fattier It is late Joan Go Into the tend and ond sleep We Ye have no dogs now and w will will ll travel slowly So we weI must start early With Ith her ber hand on the tent-flap tent Joan I turn turned cd I lie came with the wolves wolveS' she said Let Iet us us call him Wolf With one arm she was holding the thc little Joan Theother Theother The Theother other she stretched out to Kazan Wolf Wolf l I she called softly Kazan's e eyes es were on her Ho no knew that she was speaking to him and he drew himself a n foot toward towar herlIe her lIe He knows It already she cried Good night mon man pere For a long time after atter she had gone Into the tent ent old Pierre sat on the edge of the sledge facing th the I fire with Kazan at at his feet Su Suddenly the silence was broken again by Gray I Wolfs lonely howl bowl deep in the forest I I Kazan lifted his head bead an and whined I calling for 91 you boy said J Pierre Pierre- understandingly ln fy I He coughed and clutched a n hand to toI toj I j his breast where the pain seemed rending rend rend- I lug ing him Frost bitten lun lung he said speaking speak speak- fug ing straight at fit Ka Krpan Got it early In Inthe inthe the winter vinter up at Fond du n Lac Hopewell Hope nope Hopewell well we'll get home home borne In time with time with the It s.- s. I In the the loneliness loneliness ond and emptiness of ot the big bib wilderness ss one falls fullS Into the habit of pC talking t to ones one's self elf But J Kazan's head was was al alert rt and his e eyes g watchful so Pierre Plene spoke to him I Weve got ot to get them home borne and the theres there's only you and and me c to do do it he het t I Isal sal said twisting his beard Suddenly he clenched his fists His IUs hollow racking cough convulsed him him again Home I he panted pante clutching his chest Its eighty miles straight north to to the Churchill and Churchill-and and I 1 pray pray to God I well we'll y ll get there with there with the kids kids before before wy r my y lungs give out He rose to his to-his his fe feet t an and sta staggered a little as he walked There was a collar about Kazan's neck and he chained him to the sledge ge After that lIe he dragged ed three or four lr small smi logs upon the fire an and went q quietly into into the tent where Joan an and the We baby Were were already asleep Sey Several ral times that nIght Kazan fl Heard eard the distant voice of Gray ray Wolf Volf calling for him lim but something told h him m that he must not ar answer answer it it now now Toward Toward Toward To To- ward dawn Gray ruy Wolf came cam close in to the camp and for the time Kazan replied to her r I I j t CHAPTER ir J f l' l 1 i 1 11 The Message sage l f. f f I. I Kazan's howl l n 41 c the man He Hc came out of the tent ten p. p peered ere for a n. n few ew moments up at the sky y b bull built up ull p. p the fire fire and beg began n to prepare breakfast kf st st. He me patted Kazan on the h head aI and gave gave him a chunk of meat Joan came came out outa d 3 a few moments moments lat later r leaving the baby asleep in the tent She Shu Sheran ran up un and nd kissed Pierre i rr nl and th then I dio drops dropped Ie ed d down wn her knees her knees beside Kazan and and talked to him almost almo t. t as g he had he heard her talk tall I r rl I II I 1 I 9 Er f I Guessed That Much Muc to the baby When she jumped up to help her hor father Kazan followed her and when J Joan an saw him stan standing standing firm firm firmly ly upon his legs she ga e a cry of pleasure It was a strange journey that t began Into the north that day Piel Pierre e Radisson Radis- Radis son emptied the sledge of everything but the tent blankets food an and the furry nest for baby Joan Then he harnessed harnes harnessed har har- nes ed himself In the tru traces es and dragged ge the sledge over the snow He coughed Incessantly Its ts t's a cough Ive I've had llad half hal the winter winter win win- ter lied Pierre careful that Joan saw Joan saw no sign of ot blood on bl his lips Ups or beard urn Til keep In the cabin for a week when we get home bome Even Eyen Kazan with that strange strang beast knowledge i knowledge which man mun unable to e explain explain ex ex- plain calls Instinct knew that what be he said was not the truth Perhaps it was largely because he had heard other men cough like hike this and that for generations generations gen gen- his sledge dog ancestors had heard men cough as coughed and and had learned what what- It More than once he lie lit him l scented death eath eathIn in tepees and cabins which he had not and r more mere pre than once he be ha sniffed at the tho mystery of ot death that was was was' not quite present but near just near just justas as he had bad caught at ot a d distance stance the subtle warning of ot storm and of fire And nd that strange thing seemed to bevery bo be bovery very near to him now as ashe he be followed at the end of his chain behind the sledge It mo made e him restless and half hall halfa n a dozen times when the sledge stopped he sniffed at the he bit of hu hu- burled manity In the bearskin ln Each tune time that Jle le did lid this Joan was quickly quick quIck- ly at his side and twice she patted his scarred and grizzled head bead until I e c every ry c drop r p of blood b In his lils lio leaped body yH teapot f 1 1 i l ril j i i riotously riotously- with a joy which his body did not reveal T This ls day the chief thing that he hec c came me to understand was that the little creature creat rc Un cn on the sledge ge was very precious pre pre- cious clous' to the girl who stroked his head and talked to him and that It that it was very helpless He learned too that Joan was most delighted and that her voice was Vas softer and thrilled him more deeply when he paid attention to that l little warm living thing in the bearskin bear bear- skin For a long time after atter they made camp Pierre Radisson sat at beside the fire Tonight he did ld not smoke He stared straight Into the flames When at last he rose to go into the tent with the girl and the baby he bent over Kazan and examined his hurt Youve got to work In the traces tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow boy he said We uVe must make the river by tomorrow night If It we don't dont dont don't- He did not inot finish He was choking 1 buck ck one of those tearing coughs when when the tent flap dropped behInd behind him Kazan Ka Ia Kazan Ka- Ka zan lay stiff and alert his eyes filled fined with a strange anxiety He did not like e to see Radisson enter the tent teut for stronger than ever there hung that oppressive mystery In the air all about him and It seemed to be a n part of of Pierre Three times that night he heard hemd faithful Gray Wolf Volf calling for him deep in the forest and each time he answered her Toward dawn n sha came In close to camp Once he hec c caught the the s scent ent of h her r when she circled aroun around in the wind anti and he tugged and whined at the end of or his chain hoping g that she would come in an and lie down own al at his side But no sooner had Radisson moved In the tent ten than tha Gray Wolf VoU was W S gone The mans man's was l' l and his eyes were i redder er thi this iq ll Ing ng His cough w was not pot so loud l or f 50 eo rending It was mea like a wheeze wheeze as if If some something ha had gl given i ivay way way vay iris inside de and and before the girl rl come out t he clutched his han hands s often to his throat Joans Joan's face fac whitened when she saw him Anxiety gave way to fe r f. f Pi Pierre Ra Radisson d. d n. n jh she flung her arms him i b od betI betIto tU tUto to prove that wl what he lie said sald said true thi ilY You ou see the c cough ugh is Is' Is not so bad my my S Joan he said It If is In brea up up You cannot cannot- have forgotten maC maji cherie ie It always leaves eaves on one red e 4 eyed i n f. f r anc f q weak It was a cold bleak dark day that thai followed and thi through ugh it K Kazan zan mid arid the man man tugged at the fore of the th sledge with Joan Joam following in Ip t tie the e trail behind Kazan's wound longer no no longer hurt him He pulled steadily wi with hall all all his splendid strength and the man man never lashed him once once but patted him Min with his s d' d hand on head and back The day grew grev steadily darker and in the tops of the trees there w was s the low moaning of a storm D Darkness an and the coming of the storm did not drive pierre Pierre Ra Radisson isson into camp ramp We must re reach ch the the river rh-er he said to himself over over and over again We uWe must reach the river river we we must reach the river river river- And he steadily urged Kazan on to greater effort while hl his own strength at the end of the traces grew less It had bC begun Un to storm when when Pierre stopped to build a ri fire flie at noon The snow fell straight down in do a white deluge so thick that it hi hid the tree trunks fifty yards away Pierre laughed laughe when Joan shivered and nd snuggled snuggled snug gle close up up to him biJIl with the baby in her arms He waited only an hour bour and then fastened Kazan n in the traces traces again and buckled the straps once more about his own waist In the silent I gloom that was almost night Pierre carried his compass In his hand and I Int at nt last late in the afternoon th they y came to a break in the timber line and ahead of them lay a a plain across which Rad Radisson pointed an exultant hand Theres the river Joan he hn said iii Id 1 his voice faint anti husky We uWe can can enn camp here lere now rin and watt walt for the storm to pass Un Under er a thick clump of spruce h he put up up the te tent lt and then began n gathering gath ering firewood Joan li hIm As soon as they had boiled coffee and eaten a supper upper of meat an and toasted biscuits biscuit Joan went vent into the tent and dropped exhausted on her thick bc bed of balsam boughs wrapping herself and the baby up close in the skins and blankets Tonight she bad had no word for Kazan And PIerre was glad that she was too tired to sit beside the fire and talk I The fine brave dog strain In I Kazan com comes coma the fr front nt again agan in a crisis and once once more he performs a great service as service as described described de de- scribed in th the next installment TO 10 BE |