The morning times., 1897-01-31

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rod into the barrel. The rife was an
old fashioned muzzle loader and had
cost considerable money in it's time
Jacks father had taught him to use
the gun; but some sentiment had ld
Mrs. Birch to ask Jack not to disturb
the piece, and twas with many doubts
that he took down the weapon now.
But he had no other gun. and gun
he must have to carry out the plan
which he had formed.
A bear had come down into the val
ley from the mountains. 1t was rarely
that such thing happened, particular
~ in this season when most bears were
alternating, but in some way this
animal had escaped the hunting par
ties which We're made up TO capture il
and was dealing death and destruction
among the pigs and sheep of the farms
round about. 1t had located itself in a
rocky maze of underbush; and. so i'm
penetrable was the growth surround
ing it's newly found den, that the
farmers had failed to drive il out. The
pig pen belonging to the Birches had
been raided among the rest, and two
fat porllers taken. This was a serious
loss to the family, and meant just SC
much less meat for the winter. 1t was
about the beginning of November, and
too early to slaughter the remaining
pigs and salt down the pork. Jack had
been much puzzled what to do. He
knew that he must expect more visits
from the bear, sooner or later But
when? That was the question. His
neighbors had tried the plan of watch
ing their pig pens and sheep folds over
night, armed and ready to give bruin
warm reception; but the bear seemed
to be posted with regard to such move
ments. and was never seen by the
watchers at close enough range TO
make a shot worth the trying.
Jack felt that there was but this one
way to protect his possessions. So he
carried the rifle up to his room, with
the old-fashioned powder horn and bull
let couch. and cleaned and loaded the
piece. His mother had gone over to the
house of neighbor whose wife was
sick, and Jacks sister had gone with
her; so the boy was alone, and felt a
greater responsibility in consequence.
A Slight snow had fallen during the
day, but the clouds had disappeared,
and about eight o'clock the moon which
was nearly full, peeped above the tree
tops and flooded the white fields with
light. Jack. as soon as the sun went
down, had taken his station in the Win
dow of the hay NOV over the stable.
From that perch he had clear view
of the pig pen, twenty yards distant.
and all approaches to it. and he felt
confident of putting a bullet into the
beast at such short range, if 1T should
appear.
But two hours passed. and there was
no sign of the bear. Jack was begin
ming to get very cold, despite his heavy
coat and fur cap and mittens. His feet
were growing numb. and he was afraid
to get up and stamp them. or even to
withdraw to the NOV itself and walk
around. lest possibly he might scare off
the marauder or miss seeing him. so
he sat in the shadow of the window, his
legs hanging outside the sill. and re-
solved to stand the cold as long as ne
could. 1t was disheartening work,
though, and Ibis determination not to
move grew 9eas and less firm as the
numbnesS mounted from his feet to his
legs and arms At last he could bear
with it no longer and thinking that,
even if he remained motionless where
he was, his hands would soon be too
stiff to manipulate the gun, he scram-
bled into the loft, slipped down the
ladder, and shade his way out of the
stable door which he latched after
him. &sk
1t was .llsautiful night, and the
white snow -atade the smallest objects
distinguished hfE lack stood still for a
moment, listening and looking about
him; but, except for the shrill quaver
of screechyaGl in a tall poplar close
to the house$Sn1 sound broke the quiet.
There seemedssto be nothing moving.
The lights had been put out in the
nearest house, a quarter of a mile away.
and the boy thought the country had
never seemed so lonely before. But he
had no fear, partly because he was
naturally courageous and partly be
cause he had made up his mind to put
stop to the bears depredations if it
lay within his power. So he dropped
the rife into the hollow of one arm and
stepped lightly off in a direction away
from the house, having no particular
object in view except to keep warm.
The exercise soon set his blood dane
ing, and he tramped on, going further
than he had at first intended, every
once in a while looking back and
throwing a searching glance toward
the pig pen. He could see the pen quite
~ ls str,I