Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-07-20

we CdDln.
He could see the house through an open
ing in the forest. The moonlight fell
around 1t, revealing it In the little clear
ing with uncommon dlstinctness
at is Jack going home, " said Ted, with
a smile, when he had watched the NOV
ing object q little while He's been off
IN another excursion and Is just getting
H."
Then he thought of surprising the bear
with one Of his shrill whistles and placed
his fingers to his mouth to sound 1t when
ne suddenly stopped.
The bear had stopped too.
Not only this but the next moment Ted
Brady's heart took leap into his throat,
for the animal rose ON its hind feet near
tree and remained standing full minute
as straight as an Indian.
While Jack was capable Of doing great
many tricks and could walk on his hind
feet with considerable dexterity, Ted had
never seen him get up with such grace Of
movement.
The bear appeared to be looking
straight toward the house from the tree
whorc he stood, and Ted, who jumped
down from the log and sprang to tree
near by, looked ON with boys keen curl
osity.
Maybe it's another bear" rushed
through Ted's mind. "And what If it isn't
bear at allS"
The boys own thought startled him.
He was not close enough to get very
good look at tho animal, and In order to
do so he crawled along the ground to an
other tree, from behind which he took an
other look.
By this time the bear had dropped to
the ground again, and all at once Ted saw
that 1t had cut ear, which was just what
Jack had had for three years
Once more Ted was in the act of whis-
thing to his pet when the animal started
toward the house ON all fours running
over the ground in manner not exactly
In accordance with the usual locomotion
of bears, but not very unlike either.
II never saw Jack run that way BEFORE"
cried tho boy as he bounded on. He Is
heading for home and will beat me there
II don't make better time. Maybe Jack
has been wounded. The boys down on the
creek shot at him twice last summer,
and''-
Ted stopped, for once more the bear had
checked his course and was moving across
the clearing toward the little cabin, In one
Of whose little windows Mrs. Brady had
set light.
Ted watched the bear moving over the
stumpy clearing, with his head pointing
toward the shanty, but all at once he saw
more than this.
That which he saw was enough to thrill
him as he had never been thrilled before.
1t was nothing less than a moccasin
where one Of the hind feet Of the supposed
bear should have been, and the moro he
looked the surer no was of this
All was plain now.
The skin before him was Jacks, but an
Indian was inside 1t, and, Of course, for
some diabolical purpose.
Well did tho red man know that he
could never get beyond the door Of the
Brady cabin in his own dress Therefore,
probably knowing something about the
boy settlers pet, he had killed Jack in the
forest and had undertaken this stratagem
to carry out his evil designs
Ted knew that If his mother should see
the supposed Jack in the clearing she
would hasten to open the door to him
without suspecting anything wrong, and
when he thought Of the peril that menaced
her he could hardly suppress cry.
Meantime the Indian must have been
oongratulating himself on the success Of
his trick.
He had not seen the boy In his rear, and
now, with but few yards between him
and his victims, he looked upon his victo-
~ as certain
The Irish boy had reached the fringe Of
the clearing and in the brilliant moon
light saw the object that moved across 1t.
No 70 ho locf or
shot must tell, for If thrown away the
young marksman would have upon him
one Of the dread scourges Of the frontier,
and he might be tho first victim Of savage
fury in that locality.
AS the boy trapper's rifle touched his
shoulder the cabin door opened, and he
caught sight Of his mother.
She had opened the door for Jack, and
the redskin had only to spring up and
with a bound carry himself beyond the
threshold
Controlling his nerves with the GOODNESS
of an old marksman, Ted covered the
shaggy head and fired.
AT the sharp report dark object seemed
to spring into the air, and the next In
slant 1t lay on the ground, while the
white faced woman In the doorway gazed
across the clearing too frightened for a
moment to stir.
Ted ran forward so as to be seen In an
instant, and as he cleared the ground be-
tween the scene Of his shot and the cabin
he was recognized, and his mother cried
OUT
lit is jock you have killed, boyi Didn't
you know the old fellowW
Ted met his mother at the door, and for
moment looking up into her face, he
could not answer her, but after glanclng
at the silent figure among the stumps he
made reply;
slack never wore moocasins, mother.
The bear out there happens to be an In
dian"
Dead in the moonlight lay the scarlet
trickster Of the frontier, and when Ted
pulled the bearskin from him he saw the
painted face and the weapons Of the war
path that he carried In his belt
After awhile mother and son dragged
the body to q secluded spot behind the
cabin. There a grave was made, and In 1t
they placed the corpse Of one Indian who
would never return to follow Pontiac
across tho frontiers
The bearskin was removed 30 the cabin,
and when Ted's father came back, as he
did q few days later, he was shown jack q