Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SNOW BATH. come in. When he entered S. Ferdinand exclaimed: 7 ‘“You missed the fox, didn’t you?” Reuben only smiled in a knowing manner. After a hasty meal S. Ferdinand declared positively that he would not go out again as, in his opinion, the fox would not return before dark and therefore he would not brave the cold in order to only hear the dogs returning. What was the use, anyhow? No one could shoot after dark.” A scratching sounded on the camp door. Reuben sprang up from the table. “The dogs are coming back,” said he. ** They’ve done fine for young ones. _ When he opened the door in crept S. Ferdinand’s Jip, her pretty ears cut and bleeding, her body bruised and her feet caked with ice. S. Ferdinand’s face clouded with an angry scowl. His fine thoroughbred dog had been the first to leave the chase. Red spots appeared on his flushed cheeks. It should have been Patches, but it was his own— ‘“‘ Let her alone!” shouted Ferdinand an- grily to Reuben, who was digging the frozen particles of ice and snow out from her pad- ded feet. The young trapper merely smiled and paid no attention to S. Ferdinand. ‘Good doggie,” said Reuben consolingly, petting the beautiful golden-brown flank of Jip, who kissed his hand with her moist tongue. “I didn’t think that you could stand the chase as long as you have done. You're all right, doggie. To stick with old Patches for a day is good work, and then if your master, S. Ferdinand, would have been a better shot you would not have had to run so hard.” A roar came out of S. Ferdinand. sprang up to the kneeling Reuben, ‘“Tt’s a lie!” he screamed. “Your footsteps are in the snow for every one to see,’ replied Reuben un- ruffled. | : S. Ferdinand sank back on the bench with an angry gleam in his eyes. He had been caught in his own net squarely. His tracks in’ the snow were an undisputable evidence. Why hadn’t he theught of them? He didn’t want the hunters to know that he had fired at the fox because of his self- centered egotism and therefore he had tried He 391 to fasten the firing of the shot on Reuben, but the tracks gave him away, and S. Fer- dinand sulked alone in a corner of the club- house. When the graying dusk of the winter day crept over the forest in an afterglow of beryl green, against which was etched the faintest coloring of the crescent moon, sev- eral of the other dogs returned from the chase. Tired and footsore, they crept in, all except S. Ferdinand’s Zip and Patches. They were still driving the fox in the Little Oak Flats. In the shifting tints of the northern light their voices rang,out faintly. The fox was staying away. The shots from S. Ferdinand’s gun had been a warning and he was trying to shake off his pursuers by the ruse of back-tracking, doubling, and dodging. In the night the chase continued while the evening star hung low in the west. In the cobalt blue of the forest silhouetted by the myriad stars on the snow, stood Reuben and Duane listening to the voices of Patches and Zip, who were driving their quarry unceasingly.. Their joy was that of sportsmen. ‘Such a chase! It was glorious! It was now emerging into fifteen hours since the fox had been started on his run and it was still going in the starlight of the forest. There was little sleep in the Golden Ar- row Camp that night. Excitement ran high. How long would the fox run before taking to cover? Would the dogs or the fox give up? But the fox didn’t dare. His life was at stake. As the stars began to die in the velvety sky arid a faint tint of light appeared in the east, Reuben an- nounced that theschase was coming “back. In the frosty air the dogs’ voices grew stronger. With the coming of daylight Patches and Zip had returned and _ still were they trailing the tired fox. The chase was slow now. ‘Their speed and strength were gone. From the way their barking sounded the drive had now slowed down to a walk. ‘Get your guns,” shouted S. Ferdinand, springing up from the breakfast-table. “One minute,” interposed Duane stern- ly. “It seems to me that the fox has earned a right to come back home without being shot. Eomicboo (@) What do you say, fellows? - 6 SO) — ae Soe Omg seni oe: » =a * We