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before him, broken here and there by the jagged mountains whose ice- covered crests glittered coldly in the sunlight, or by the drooping limbs of snow-clad evergreens which dot:ted the lower hills. Ice and snow! lt was cruel, it was cold, it was relentless, but he loved it-'twas his North! John turned to enter the cabin. As he did .so, far down in one of the lower valleys, a thin ribbon of bur- nished copper, glowing sombrely as the sun shone obliquely on it for a moment, pointed out the way that he must go.
Inside Dot was busily preparing b'~t!akfast. Sunlight and a new day rwd driven all doubts and fears frorn her mind. The meal over, 1-'he packed her husband's kit and kissing him good~bye gaily, she watched him as h,· ~wung OH't· the fir.;;t h.ll and .)ut of sight. He would call at r'oon! How lovely for her that she had Bobbie to keep her company! The thought of the baby sent her scurrying into the house, loathe to let him out of her ~ight ior a moment.
Meanwhile Brent strode along. How he really enjoyed these walks! Just to feel the frost nipping at his cheeks, tingling in his very blood ! How strong and free it made him feel, and yet, how insignificant sur- rounded as he was by lofty moun- tains! So his thoughts ran on.
At noon he climbed a pole, attach- ed his set, and called his wife. Then he continued his walk. About three o'clock with the sun sinking, it be- gan to get colder. A dead hush gath- 'ered round him. One or \tw:ice he fancied he saw a few skulking forms gliding silently through the trees and now and then a distant howl came to his ears. At four he called his wife again-she was still her cheery self. He plodded on.
Queer how those crazy wolves got on a fellow's nerves the way they had melted into the trees-couldn't
get your eye definitely on one if you tried! Time wore slowly. At four-thirrty it was qu1te dark and
the cold was biting; wolves there were in plenty-and as the darkness gathered, so did they. Brent looked to his revolver - five cartridges, looked at the wolves-about seven, thought of his wife-and called her. As he talked the cry of a wolf rang out. It was distinctly heard by Dot, she anxiously queried: "What was that, a wolf?"
"Yes, it's a wolf, but only a straggler," Brent took great paim; to exPlain. ''·'How's the kid?" con- tinued John, a .sickening weight crushing his heart as he asked.
"He's playing contentedly here on the floor John. I was just going to put him to bed, why?"
"Oh-not'hing-I was wondering. Oh, Dot?"
"Y es,"
"I'd like to say good-night to him - i f you don't mind."
Silence, then-"I'll get him, John."
John talked a little longer to Dot, told her not to worry, promis.ed to Crall her up if he got into any trouble, and hung up.
What a good kid she was! A real pal for any man! Somehow that thought hurt. He turned and looked towards the bush-line-all along in the shadow of the trees those wretched, cowardly waiting mon- sters flitted to and fro; how like some people he said to himself, va~­ uely thinking back to his younger days when he had trounced· that cowardly Johnson for daring to try to make dates with Dot. He smiled-the wolves Crlosed in. Brent, unaware of the approaching dange~·, clung to his pole, and continued his reverie. What a fight they'd had! Right in front of Dot's gate it was too! He remembered the incident vividly. She had been standing there talking to John when Johnson came along. Brent never had liked the fel- low! With a smirking smile John- son had pulled Dot's organdy sash and said, "Don't forget we're step-
p-ing out some night, ar•an't we't'' Laughing loudly, he had started on. Once more he saw Dot's flushed and