o their
parents' care with the evident intention of returning home. In order
to do so, it was necessary for her to cross an upper portion of the
hillside, considered too rough and rocky for any one to pitch his
abode. There was not the slightest semblance of a trail, but the girl
had traversed the place several times that day, so was quite sure of
her way. Nevertheless, she glanced somewhat anxiously around as she
hurried onward, especially so where the bushes and scrubby trees stood
the thickest.

Dane followed the man who was slinking along after the girl, and for a
while he was able to keep him in view. Then he disappeared among the
trees, and as Dane stepped quickly forward so as not to miss him
altogether, a sudden cry of fear fell upon his ears. That it came from
the girl he was well aware; telling plainly that she was in need of
help. He leaped at once to her assistance, and in another minute he
saw her struggling in the arms of her assailant, and trying to free
herself from his grasp. The next instant Dane was by her side, while a
blow from the clenched fist of his right hand sent the cowardly villain
reeling back among the trees. Then like a tiger Dane was upon him, his
fingers clutching his throat as he pinned him to the ground. The
fallen man fought and struggled desperately to tear away that fearful
vise-like grip, but all in vain. At length his striving ceased, and
his body relaxed. Then Dane unloosened his hold, and looked at the
girl.

"Shall I kill him?" he asked.

"No, no!" was the startled reply. "That would be terrible!"

"But he tried to harm you. If I kill him, he won't have a chance to
try again."

"Let him go," the girl pleaded. "Perhaps this will teach him a lesson."

Dane, however, hesitated. A passionate impulse urged him to make an
end of such a cowardly creature. The spirit of the wild was strong
upon him, and his nature craved complete satisfaction. How could it be
otherwise? Steeped for years in the ways of the wilderness, he had
become a part of all that he had seen and heard. He knew how the
beasts of the forest and the monarchs of the air dealt with their prey.
He had at times watched two great bull moose locked in deadly combat,
until one had gone down to defeat and death. And around campfires at
night he had listened to rough men as they related tales of terrible
fights, grewsome murders, and sudden deaths. Everywhere he turned it
was the same savage strug