St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-26

not inclined that way. Her temper was
evidently naturally ugly: the Interior
ence with her cubs had Increased that
ugliness ten-fOId: the freeing of the
object of her rage in tree so small that
she could not follow him added to it in
like degree. She made the most desper-
ate efforts to climb the sapling in vain.
She CRASHED it with her teeth. tear
ing out great chips and Splinters,
threatening the stability of the trunk.
much to the aIarm of Nelson. She dug
away the earth at the roots of the tree,
scooping out great hollows as if she in
tended to uproot it and topple it and her
foe to the ground together, accompany
her work with the most frightful cries
of rage.
For ten or fifteen minutes the bear
varied her previous and persistent eff
forts to get at Nelson, and those min
utes had been so full of terror and ex-
element to the latter that all thought of
what he had come out there to do had
left his mind. Finally it came to him
and increased his uneasinesS. 1t had
been half an hour or more since he left
home. He noticed that strong wind
right out of the west had come up. The
air had been full of smoke all day, but
as that had been the case for many
days, it had not caused him any unusual
apprehension. But as he gradually re-
covered from the excitement Of the
bears pursuit, seeing that he was safe
from her in the tree, he noticed that the
smoke had grown much denSer. 1t was
SO dense at the height he was from the
ground that it was becoming Sitting.
He noticed with increasing alarm that
it was charged with heat, which came
in puffs and waves somewhere from the
woods behind him. He knew what that
meant. The wind had famed the wood
fires to greater volume. and was driving
1t forward with increased rapidity upon
the spot where he was held captive by
the bear, SO that it was likely soon to be
an intolerable place to remain in.
1.-The heat increased so that Nelson
could breathe only with difficulty.
Burning leaves and glowing twigs be-
gan to fail upon and about him. The
heat and smoke were less where the
bear, with her cubs at her heels, had
crouched low with her nose close to the
ground. She was determined to wait
for vengeance to the very last. The
I! wind became stronger. The roar of the
advancing flames grew louder and
louder. To stay longer in the tree was
impossible. There was no chance for
life there. There was fighting chance
for 1t with the bear. Taking his Jack
knife from bis pocket and opening it.,
Nelson slid quickly to the lowest branch
of the tree, and swinging himself from
it struck the ground three or four feet
beyoud the bear and made dash for
| the road. The bear, with her head
thrust against the ground, was taken by
! surprise, but she was up and after Mel
| son so quickly that he had but four or
| five yards the start of her. But terror
almost gave him wings. He gained on
| his implacable pursuer. Burning leaves
and branches fell thickly about him.
1.-The heat was intense. But on he
| sped, gaining slowly but surely on the
bear. To his horror the heat grew
fiercer as he advanced. There was but
one explanation for that. The fire had
greater Roadway in that direction, and
was approaching nearer the TO there
Suddenly, in turning a sharp bend in
the road. Nelson stopped. There was nc
thoroughfare farther. The flames haC
reached the road not fifty yards ahead
leaped across it, and wall of roaring
flame barred the way. Nelson turned
and looked behind him. The bear was
still slouching in tireless gait upon his
track.
ITO remain at that spot ten minutes
perhaps less. meant the most horrible OF