Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-17

"Tbank you'll Is that fact 50 obvious as TO
be patent TO bear"
well, they arc very sagacious, you know and
recent importation might tempt his curiosity
well his appetite"
With a laugh they separated. Travers start
ing down the walk, having left his hunting
suit and psraphernalia at his office down town.
AS he passed out through the gate Dorothy call
cd after him:
Don't get so interested in your bear hunt as
TO forget our tennis game at . o'clock"
She watched him with tender little smile OF
amusement. What does that infant know about
hunting ON the Hogs Back? | don't believe
he ever shot anything larger than Jack rabbit
in his life. l think I'll take the trail myself
in the course of an hour" and she entered the
house, her eyes dancing over the scheme which
had suddenly occurred to her.
Three years before Richard Travers and Dor.
othy Belden had been "co-eds" in an Eastern
school, Their fathers were old friends, and
Of the two Mr.. Travors was then the wealthier
man, but two years later he had lost all in un.
fortunate speculation, and Mr.. Belden, out of
regard for his old.tme friend, had offered his
son good position as an empoye OF the large
mining company which he had originally brought
into existence, carried to successful maturity
and finally welded to powerful rival, making
one of the strongest interpretations in the West
and one in which he took great pride. Dorothy
was his youngest child and only daughter the
pet of the entire family. She had been born
and reared in the West, and her nature seemed
to partake of the environment by which she was
surrounded and which she loved. The rugged
strength and firmness of the rocks, the freedom
OF the winds, the exhiaration of the atmosphere,
and the perpetual sunshine of the mountain skies
all seemed combined in the strength and sweet
ness, the freshness and unconventionaity OF her
girlhood. Though graduated from an Eastern
school, her training and education had been pre-
eminently Western, and it was her fathers fire.
quent boast that she was the best shot in the
country, and could tell piece OF ore as quickly
and correctly as he himself.
| For two hours Travers wandered up and down
the Hogs Back, waking the echoes with his
rifle and thoroughly enjoying life though com
PEELED to admit to himself that he was sadly
out of practice. Not until his ammunition was
exhausted did he start homeward Coming to
a picturesque point in the trail, he seated him
self upon the rocks to rest and enjoy the scenery,
and soon lost in thought. Notwithstanding
the fact that Dorothy had checked his advances,
he knew enough of the real candor and sincerity
of her nature to believe that he already possessed
her love, and, happy in that confidence, he
tried to plan how best to win the approval Of
her somewhat mercenary father.
| He was aroused from his reflections by be-
culiar sound, something between grunt and Il
growl, and, turning quickly, saw at a little dis
tance a good-size bear, seated on his launches
and regarding him with degree of interest which
under different circumstances might have been
aattering. Travers seized his rifle only to re-
member with sudden sckening sensation that
it empty and useless For an instant lie
sat still, undecided what to do, then rose slowly
to his feet; the bear deliberately descended to
| his.
| Iravers turned and walked quietly but swiftly
down the trail, hoping that the bear, on finding
himself unmoested, would be content to let the
matter drop without further investigation. But
a couple of surreptitious gances his shoulder
convinced him that such were not Bruins in
tentions. That the latter was bent on a closer
acquaintance was only too evident, as he was
trotting leisurey along the trail, seemingly in no
haste, but yet managing to cover considerable
ground in short time. Travers had achieved
some distinction at college as a sprinter and