The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-24

led INTO the forest WnerG the trees
and underbrush grew thick A meet
ing with bear under such cireunp-
stances is a situation from which old
hunters shrink, The men found. also
that he had been joined by a coyote,
which made the situation even less
desirable, as the coyote would give the
alarm before the bear himself realized
that danger was near.
But the hunters enthusiasm nerved
them and they followed the footprints
into the \timber. They moved eau
tiOusly, pausing 10 peer about them
every step. their nerves at the high
est tension, not knowing what instant
they would jump the bear.
Hunters Cautious.
BE easy" warned Chase, "for I want
fifty yards between us to start with.
He's going 10 come for US and we can't
stop him under that distance"
Neither of the men' underestimate
the danger or the courage of their an
tagOnist. They came into an open
space where, about foot from the
ground, fallen saplings were inter
laced. There they found Four Toes
had made a bed for himself. Evident
ly he had concluded it was not suf-
ficiently sheltered. or il had not nit him,
for he had moved on.
The men now crept more cautiously
than ever for they surmised he had
not gone far. They took up his trail
again, which now led among thick
spruces. The branches bending almost
10 the ground With the weight OF snow
u2on them.
Suddenly Chase, who was ahead,
threw up his hand Warningiy. Both
men stood still, with hearts that
thumped audibly \ few yards from
where they stood a slight steam was
rising into the cold air.
They waited, but heard no sound
Then they moved up inch by inch The
bed was empty, but it had been vacat-
ed only few minutes previous, as the
steam which rose from the ground
where it. had been warmed by Four
Toes great body testified.
In the awesome hush of the forest
the men stood motionless. straining
their ears for grunt or some slight
movement which should locate Four
Toes for them. 1t was as quiet as
death itself and because of the spruees
they could see only q short distance
around them.
At last Chase moved. He took only
a half step, but at the first movement
n great hulk sprang from a thicket
less than fifty yards away.
The supreme moment had come.
Four Toes, with his jaws wide open,
green flames darling from his pig-like
eyes, whirled around a tree and came
STRAIGHT for Chase.
Chase caught him sideways as he
whirled. The tremendous force of the
1910 soft-nosed bullet tore hole in
his side into which one could thrust
his fist, but il seemed not even to jar
the bear, much less knock him down.
With roar of rage which defies de-
scription, Four Toes leaped into the
air to a height which the hunters de-
clare would seem incredible TO those
who had not actually seen it. When
he came down he tore up a tree four
inches in diameter as though il were
a reed and hurled it twenty feet into
the thlcket. Then he made another
tremendous jump for Chase, who stood
his ground and sent another bullet
crashing into his shoulder The bear
leaped again. roaring, slapping and
tearing at the wound As he jumped
he shook the snow from the dropping
spruce limbs until he was the center
OF whirlwind o. SNOW.
Give it 10 him. Soak the lead into
him." shouted Chase He's coming
too fast.
With she rapid Ere VI a rio, gun The
bullets began 10 pour into -Four Toes
tearing bis great body With no effect
save to'fartiler eHrage him. FrothIne
blood, lis jaws v ide apart. the, hair or
his hump bristling TIL it seemed twice
its size. he crashed through sturdy
scrub pines and snruees as though they
were dried grass in a meadow. chas'
shot down his throat. shatteTing th'