, 1904-11-09

slept the dreamless slumber of a gen.
eral whose maneuvers are all planned
The next evening they were al
grouped abous the campfire, which had
been replenished, mountain fashion
with whole logs drawn and stacked
across its first kindling fame by a
team of horses. The little party, chan.
eroned by Nell's mother, who drowsed
on a folding easy chair. sprawled about
the fire, recounting the days adyen.
lures and the wonders of the park.
Two or three kodak enthusiasts soon
rose to go to the dark tent to deyelon
their snapshots.
"Give us q song, Nell" begged Jack
Stanley, handing her the guitar. "Sing
that old one-old songs are best suited
to things primeval," teasingly. 80
let's have In Days of Old, a Warrior
Bold and all the rest Of It,"
saThat's a mans song" retorted the
girl. But since The rest of tina
sentence was left to his imagination.
and Nell bent her bright head over the
beloved instrument and fingered dain.
tily the stirring accompaniment to the
old ballad. But her Eyes were lifted
challengingly to his when she reached
the ringing refrain:
'Ill live for love, I'll live for love-
and die!"
Suddenly a deep growl ~thundered out
Of the dense darkness behind them.
All eyes turned startled toward a great
black mass slowly emerging into the
glare of the campfire. Jones and Trent
beat a hasty retreat toward their tent
to get their rifles, they explained eager
ly afterward-and every one was too
busy then to remember that all their
weapons had been sealed by the off,
Gals on entering the park.
Mrs. Carter and the other women
shrieked, scattered and fled screaming
to the tents, all but Nell, who was too
paralyzed to move. One white hand
still chung to the vibrant guitar strings.
Her red lips, now paled with fear, were
still parted, forming frozenly the last
words of her song. Here was Jacks
chance.
He seized it instantly, also a red,
burning brand from the fire. With
this weapon he bravely charged the
shaggy animal towering above poor,
terror stricken Nell.
Just as the huge fore paws reached
out to clasp her In a crushing I'm
brace-one rasping claw did scratch
her tender arm, the mark of which
she shows proudly to this day-Jacks
cleaning firebrand fell resoundingly
again and again upon the grizzly. With
q roar of pain and a snarl at his an
tagonist the great bear released trem,
bling Nell from his deadly clutch and
amid a terrific odor of singing hair
made for the cooling river a few yards
below.
Nell, darling, are you hurtT' Jacks
voice was tender with real concern as
he remorsefully wiped the single red
drop which oozed from the dear arm.
She was clasped in a real mans hug
this time, and she crept close like a
f1uttering, frightened bird into its nest
Her stubborn little heart melted into
gratitude, admiration and love and
soon stilled it's tumultuous fear tlroos
into a rapturous answer to the manly
one that beat against 1t.
Her trembling arms stole about DIS
neck, and her ripe lips met his, drink
ing in the blessed draft of mutual love
and joy.
"You are a real hero, dear, after ALL
she whispered.
"Then you will marry me, SWEEP
hearth" the graceless youth asked un'
blushingly. The answer went so lntoN
icatingly to his head that it was no
wonder Francois thought M. STANLEY
had been imbibing too freely when an
hour later in the strict privacy OF the
cooks tent he thrust a $1,000 bill lnp
that worthy's hand, with the remark:
"Oh, hang the expense; it's worth II.
To his conscience he said, "'Alfs IAN
In love and war; a primitive motto.
The Frenchman looked joyfuly at
the lavish gratuity, then at the wrecA,
ed bearskin at his feet.
Get ees burn tres mauvalse, liz
chuckled. But, as m'sieu say, eet cts
worth eet!"