The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-09-09
guide him in the direction Of his miss

| as he could, but no answering vOice
came back. And SO he climbed over
the hills In all directions, straining his
eyes Ia the hope OF seeing something
through the faint moonlight He had
returned to che camp twice In the hope
that Harry might have come back. Or
( the last trip there Re looked through
his partners tent and was surprised to
see all his clothes and weapons in their
accustomed places. It was plain now
that something strange had happened,
and he started over the hills again with
his rife cooked. He felt sure that the
animal that came to the camp In the
evening had something 10 do with the
disappearance Of Harry and the dog.
| This tiihe he kept in the same direc-
ton, and had travelled over an hour
when he heard the bark of dog he
was not sure that 1t was their dog, but
he hoped it was, and at any rate he
started in the direction from which the
sound seemed to come.
The barking grew louder all the time
and ie seemed as il the dog was angry
and furious. There were snaps and
snaps, and then it seemed to stop, as ii
he was chewing something.
AS Charley got nearer he could hear
the growl of some largo beast mingle
with the dogs bark, and he quickened
his steps. He stumbled over rocks And
fallen trees and at last came to an open
space at the foot Of a hill, where the
barking seemed to be. He strained his
eyes several moments before he dis
tinguished any moving figure in
the dim moonlight, although the
growing and barking sounded very
near. At last he made out dark fig
ure that moved slowly, and he went in
that direction on run. A few hun.
dred yards and he was In the thick Of
the disturbance.
He saw = griszly she bear at least
eight feet high standing on its hind
legs and carrying the limp body of q
man in its forepaws. His dog was
swapping at the bears hams, and a
well-grown cub was near by doing
all it could to keep away from the dog.
Charley knew in an instant that it
must be Harry, and that the bear had
gone into his tent and carried him of,
and that the dog followed to do all he
could to save his master.
At first he thought Harry must be
dead. but he called to him and rot
low moan for an answer. The bear
also found out that It had another an
tagonist and for moment stood still.
as II making up her mind what to do.
The dog saw that help was near and in
creased the fury of his attacks on the
bear, while the cub came close to its
mother.
Charley was watching his chance to
get in shot with his rifle, SO as not to
put Harry in danger, but 1t was very
difficult, and he moved about from one
place to another. At last the old bear
dropped Harry on the ground, when the
cub jumped on him to hold him down,
and went for Charley, who fired almost
at random, as he was little surprised
at the sudden change In affairs. But
the shot took effect. for the old bear
fell to the ground . moment, but got
up and came to the attack with great
fury.
Charley looked over toward Harry
and saw that he was attempting to rise
to his feet, but appeared too weak to
do so. The dog had attacked the cub
and kept it from doing any harm. 1t
was too large for the dog to kill, but he
could pull its trousers" as the hunters
say. and that is something a bear will
not stand. He soon got the cub quite
distance from Harry, when Charley
looked over and saw that he was safe.
1t was only momentary glance, as
he had all he could do with the old
bear. and knew that il she ever got hold
Of him it was all up with him, as she
was in terrible state of fury.
She had been famed in some way BY
the first shot, and Harry was looking
for a chance to put q bullet where it
would do the most good. but he did not
have much time to select a spot, as the
old bear was soon jumping for him. He
also commenced to jump to keep out of
her way, but managed to send several
bullets into her body, all of which
failed to reach any vital spot. Five
times he fred, and the clumsy crea-
ture was dripping with blood, but
1t did not seem 1T all inclined to stop
the proceedings.
The moon was now getting low and |
, black veil was coming over the land |
scape, so that Charley could not dis
tiuguish his friend, but could hear the |
same old sounds of growing and fight
ing.
When Charley pulled the lever of his |
rifle for the sixth shot feeling of hor-
ror came over him because It stuck and |
would not close. 1t was too dark to |
see what the difficulty was, so he pulled |
and jerked att in the hope that he might
Jar IL into a condition of working; but
his efforts failed and the old bear was
IS ferocious as ever. But what was to
be done?
He had neither knife nor revolver.
and 1t would not do to save his own life
BY running away and leaving his friends
70 certain death In fact such an idea