The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-11-26


body was plainly audible. The guide
had fired six or seven times before
either of his companions got their
weapons unlimbered. Il
The great brute could not withstand
the storm OF bullets for long. His
mouth fairly spouted blood, showing
that his lungs had been perforated, and
glaring patches of gore appeared upon
his breast. A bullet from Hanks rifle
finally found the brain through the eye
and the grizzly fell dead.
Both the officers were woefully con-
fused, even when IL was all over; but
Hank had killed grizzly before. Still,
he admitted that il was by far the
largest he had ever seen. While they
were examining their prize and talking
IL over snow began 20 fall. IL was now
mid-afternoon and they were ten miles
from camp.
"We're goin' ter ketch il. gentlemen
said Hank, cooking his eye. There's
hard storm comm. Do you take the
back track, pick up haunch of that
venison Ole Ephr'am didn't care for
/ reckon the wolves haven't got IL yet
an make camp. I'll strip this yere pelt
Off. for. IL signs don't fail and the
SHOWS deep, the wolves will tear this
critter all ter pieces before we can get
back here I'll likely overtake you be-
fore YOU reach the lean-to."
"With that heavy skim? demanded
the lieutenant.
II reckon. tn have to snow pretty
hard TO beat me-"
But IL did snow hard-harder and
faster than he had often seen IT. Be
fore he had the grizzly half hayed the
snow was heaping around him faster
than he could tramp ii down. His com
panions would be at the river ere this
and all they had TO do was TO follow
the stream down 10 the lean-to. lie
could trust Capt. Langdon, who had
been hunting with him before, to get
to camp all right with his brother OIL
Ger; SO he had no anxiety on their ac-
count.
IL grew colder with the suddenness
common only 10 the blizzard. The
snow cut like sleet and the wind
whipped the trees spitefully Hank
hung doggedly 20 his job. When he UNI
dertook 20 turn the huge body OF the
bear over, however, he found II too
great for even his giant strength. lie
had his camp Ratchet in his belt, and
fighting his way across the gully, in the
very teeth OF the wind, managed to Top
Oft n sapling that had been borne
down By the accumulation of snow.
With this he struggled back 10 the
bear and pried IL over He had began
10 see now how foolhardy he had been
10 remain TO skin the bear. The biz
gard in all it's fury was upon him and
he was at bad pass. lie could not
see three yards before him.
; But though he could not see, his
acute ear caught sound rising above
: the shrek of the gale. 1t was long
: drawn. human-like howl-the clan cry
of the gray timber wolf of the Rockies
Cold or tempest could not quench then
savage appetites and they were gath
ering 10 the feast like storm-demons.
r A less experienced man than the ole
WAGNER might have moderated hi
! danger Many a man has judged tn
/ timber VOLTS temper by that of hi
4 cousin, the kiote, and bitterly has h
{ raid for his mistake The kiote is
1 coward; the timber wolf knows no
: what fear is. Had he the strength com
c mensurate with his savageness. tn
: mountain lion-even the grizzly itself
e would scarcely be his master.
!. Hank realized that he had but littl
e time 10 live. II he should start TO
Z camp now the wolves might remain Z
n sup upon his dead grizzly; but the
might follow him! There was consid
I" cradle doubt. besides, whether he woul
p ever reach camp. The cold was II
e tense, and his body was fast GROWN
d benumbed. He could not long hesitate
l. Selling his Ratchet again, he spli
II open the bears carcass from neck
n chin Removing the entrails an
@ larger organs, he crawled into tn
smoking body and drew the upper sid
e over himH. The animal heat of tn
d grizzly warmed him through. and, III
d snow drifting over him, he was 500
IS quite comfortable. Snow does not pac
d hard enough TO exclude all air and b
breathed well enough. Fortunately tl
ID storm continued for some hours, SO thu
lc the wolves did not Immediately ASA
him.
{. AS Hank did not come in that nigl
:" The captain and lieutenant started OF
to to find him az soon as il was light Il
IL next morning. They went back oy,
The route they had followed the day b
fore, found the remainder of the dee
ut dug out of the snow and eaten by Il
te wolves. and, pressing on into the gull
say pack Of gaunt, gray beasts figh
I'd ing around the carcass OF the bear.
They began TO shoot into the pac
ne when, 10 their unbounded amazemer
Id they heard Hank yelling TO them seer
il. ingly from the very center of the mele
gh They charged forward, the wolves sea
EN- tered, and up arose the old wagon,
smiling. but covered with blood.
IS Fortunately, however, IL was q
4 A. -. ha a..