The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-27


Rockies and wondering il It was spring
there too, If the foothills were bare Of
snow and II his old guide Pete had vet
found any bear sign. A boy brought ia
batch Of kilograms from his custom
ers and among them, as IL in answer to
his thoughts was one which read:
Bears is out; git a move on you.
PETE"
Three days later the broker arrived
at a nameIess sidetrack of the Great
Northern railway, only a few miles from
the mountains. II was only three or four
miles across the hills to Pete's cabin;
nesting in a cottonwood grove beside
clear mountain stream. The next morn
ing the two men mounted their horses
and rode up in the TWO Medicine foot
hills.
Pete led an old crippled pony which was
to be used for bear bait. They rode
through the opening, finding, as Pete had
predicted, plenty OF bear signs.
Great holes had been dug in the sod
by their powerful claws, boulders had
been rolled over, rotten logs torn to
pieces in their industrious search for
roots, ground squirrels and nests Of ants.
Near the foot of the prairie, midway be-
tween the dark TANKS OF the bordering
forest Pete put the crippled pony out OF
>
they turned back homeward. The follow
ing day another worn out Old horse was
killed at the mouth of Outlook canon,
where bear signs were also numerous.
About O'Clock the next afternoon the
two hunters sat on top Of the ridge over
looking the strip of prairie where they
had killed their first bait. The city man
got out his field glasses and discovered
that two coyotes were feasting on the
carcass of the horse
"Confound en-" said Pete 'T 'spect
they's been regular percession Of EN-
feedin' off'n It ever since twas killed.
Les take yer glasses. Yes, as near as
kin make out, it's about chawed up.
Wal, maybe a bar has been eatin' ont,
too"
The city man again had the glasses and
was carefully scanning the lower part of
the prairie and the edge of the timber
skIrting it.
Pete" he suddenly exclaimed. Il be-
lieve see a bear
$50 you do" said the guide. wal.
set still an les see what he's goin' to
do
The bear doomed I'D very big and very
formidable-loobing in the field Of the
city mans glasses. He seemed to be as
large as a COW. and the giistening, light
steel-colored coat OF long fur he wore
proclaimed him to be q silver tip griz-
Fly
Had you been near enough you would
have seen this old fellow wrinkle his
long, flexible snout, distent the nostrils
and carefully sniff the passing breeze.
There was nothing suspicious, yet to be
sure hiatt everything was as it should
be, he slowly circled around the bait be-
fore he began his feast. stopping every
little while to look and sniff. at last
he approached it, the coyotes fed, and
he began to rend great strips OF flesh
from the animals back.
Then the two hunters hurried over to
the shelter Of the pines and walked care
fully and slowly through htem down the
hill. Pete led the way, and the other
stepped in his tracks, sure that by so do
Ing he would not tread upon dry stick
or anything which would snap and give
forming OF their approach. It seemed TO
the novice as IL a month had passed
since they left the top of the ridge. and
the guide was still gliding on and on.
as unconcernedly as If trailing his way
homeward. But 1t was different with
the city man; his rapidly beating heart
seemed to have gone up into his throat
and was choking him. his legs were IN
steady. his face very pale. The old
guide stopped. turned around and looked
at him.
see here" he whispered. you said
twas tilE e1EAlAAAgA u -1AA -AAI ~ hAAA
2 grizzly You are so excited you couldn't
bit the side OF a barn. Brace up now,
make Up yer mind you won't git hustered
fer it's only a little ways further 10 the
bait
How did Pete know he was excited7"
be wondered. Was he visihly tren-
bling? He began saying 70 himself. Il
must be steady, must take careful
aim"
Pete was going slower now. and with
the steaIthfulnes OF a cat de stopped
behind the trunk Of a huge hr and peered /
1ut beyond it. The city man looked over
his shoulder, and there was the griz-
zly, not fifty yards away, trying 70 cover /
The bait with sod ard earth which he /
tore from the little plain
Pete drew back TO the LETT side OF the /
rec. and taking his place on the right /
The city man cooked his rife, rested Il +
lzaiust the trunk and began 10 aim The /
weapon seemed to weigh & ton, and the !
nuzzis 70 be endowed with life. II vsb- /
1led so
Something alarmed the bear; some Eus-
slci0us sound. or faint tsint q their /
presence in the air. for he suddenly sat 4
lp on his launches. a towering mass q /
9esh and fur. and looked straight toward /
ne FIR tree. At that instant the front 4
SIGHT. seen through she globe OF the rear 4
lrs seemed 10 be centercd on hre right 4
spot. q polnt just back q the shoulder, !
and the hunter pressed The trigger ~ 4
he report she bear clloapsed- rolled up 4
ITO @ huge furry hais and with rozrs 81 4
7sfn and rage writhed and tumbIed doTn i
he incline
Give L 70 him. pump Il into him.
Pete shouted. and mechanically. az II IL 4
dream. the other man obeyec-
Then after e little the hear lay quite
-tiu. MS muscles ceased % witch. bis
l6es 70 heave. and they went Qua and
.xa-nfued K The city man sal down or
~ rrear carcass and removed his hat
Gosh Pete exclaimed. you must
ave been terribly excited: yer hair Is
.rfn-sn- st.-s-Sew YORK sun
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