The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-01-27

shoulder. This sho presently con
quercd with some scorn. Neverthe-
less, she could not help fastening her
steps and the first cabin in the inouu-
tain had the air Of refuge to her, as
she turned in to get II fresh pine
knot.
Here. too, she was strongly pressed
To end her jou rney for the night. But
now her ubstinacy was well aroused.
She was Dettlcd at herself for having
felt afraid. II was with something of
the air OF one who goes forth to battle
that she gripped her torch and
clutched her apron OF sweet apples, rs
she turned again TO the blackness of
the forest path.
Between this cabin and the next the
distance was but half mile. Her
nerves were now getting so we'll stead
led TINT she no longer cared for the
looming and shifting shadows, till Mt
length shadow distinctly smaller
than the rest made the underbrush
rustic audibly with its motion. Her
heart gave n most uncomfortable leap,
and she straightway thought of the wolf
which her husband had spoken of.
But, wolf or shadow, IL iled away with
ont menacing her; and she came in
safety to the last cabin between her
and home.
Here the neighbors were asleep, mud
she had to arouse them in order to
beg another pine-knot. The one
which she had got Mt the previous
house.was by no means burned ont,
but she feared lest it should fail be-
fore the end OF her journey. The
sleepy neighbors we're astonished at
her appearance. They threatened to
detain her by force, when she refused
their invitation to stay all night with
them. But Mrs. Buckler was by this
time good deal "workod up" as she
afterwards expressed herself; and she
treated their kind persuasions with
scant courtesy. She almost rnn from
the house but in her apron, among
the sweet apples, she carried the ex.
ira pine knot, oil the same.
To ward of unpleasant thoughts,
she kept picturing in her mind the way
the children would enjoy the apples in
the morning. She also thought of the
remonstrances, tempered with ill-con-
cealed admiration, with which her
husband would greet her return. Her
blood quite glowed again rs she
thought of the lofty fashion in which
she would make light of it all. just
at this moment she saw, in the middle
Of the path before her, large black
bear, Watching her curiously.
Her heart stood still, aud she her.
self instantly followed his example.
Then she reflected that she must APP
pear calmly indifferent. il sho would
hope to escape. Slowly she moved
forward again, waving her torch; aud
the bear, stopping out of the path,
watched her steadily from among the
underbrush as she went by. Then he
stepped back into the path aud fol.
| lowed her.
Her first and most natural impulse
was to run like the wind for home, but
this, after one startled leap forward,
she checked with mighty effort of
her will. She walked on with swift
but steady steps, watching tho bear
out OF the corner of her eye, but all
tho time clutching obsiinately at her
aproniul of apples. The bear, very
slowly, kept drawing closer and closer,
bent upon attacking, but evidently de-
tered by dread OF the torch.
But the torch, meanwhile, was burn-
ing low; and Mrs. Buckler, in her ex-
citement, failed at first to notice this.
She was holding the pine-knot over
her shoulder, as n sort of shield
against her pursuer. When, with n
shaking at the knees, she realized that
it was on the point OF Pickering out,
she tried hastily to light the other /;
and in the effort some OF her treasured
apples fell out OF her apron,and rolled
behind her on the path.
As soon rs the bear came to these
4 apples he stopped, and began devour-
ing them with the keenest relish.
"Whyi" thought Mrs. Buckner,
with sudden tightening of. her load
of terror; sits not me hos after, but
the sweet apples!" and straightway all
her old courage returned.
She paused, aud took time to,light
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