The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-05-11
Maggie nodded. The effect of the
forest was still upon her. She did not

AAc VOudu WHO received them, the
wife Of keeper, had prepared in a
rough way for their reception. She had
q large fire and bowls of warm milk.
/ While the two girls were warming
themselves keeper came to the door
of the hut and asked to see Catrina.
He stood in the little doorway, COM
pletely filing it, and explained that he
could not come in, as the buckles and
straps of his snowshoes were clogged
and frozen. He wore the long Nor
wegian snowshoes and was held to be
the quickest runner in the country.
Catrina had long conversation with
the man, who stood hatless, rudy and
shy. .......
1T u.s." she then explained to Maggie,
"Paups own man, who always loads
for him and carries his spare gun. He
has sent him to tell us that the game
has been hinged and that the beaters
will close in on a place called the
Schapka clearing, where there is a
woodman's refuge. If we care to put
on our snowshoes this man will guide
us to the clearing and take care of US
till the battue is over.''
OF course Maggie welcomed the pro-
posal with delight, and after hasty
luncheon the three glided off through
the forest as noiselessly as they had
come. After firing walk Of an hour
and more they came to the clearing and
were duly concealed in the hut.
No one, the keeper told the ladies, ex-
cept Paul, knew Of their presence in
the little wooden house. The arrange
ments Of the beat had been slightly
altered at the last moment after the
hunters had separated. The keeper
lighted small fire and shyly attended
to the ladies, removing their snow
shoes with his clumsy fingers. He
closed the door and arranged branch
of larch across the window so that
they could stand near it without being
seem
They had not been there long be-
fore De Chauxville appeared. He NOV
ed quickly across the clearing, skim
ming over the snow with long, sweep
ing strides. Two keepers followed
him and after having shown him the
! rough hiding place prepared for him
silently withdrew to their places. Soon
Karl SteinmetZ came from another d.
rection and took up his position rather
nearer to the hut in a thicket of pine
and dwarf oak. He was only twenty
yards away from the refuge where the
girls were concealed.
1t was not long before Paul came
He was quite alone and suddenly ap-
peared at the far end of the clearing,
in very truth a mighty hunter, stand
ing nearly seven feet on his snowshoes.
One rifle he carried in his hand, anoth-
er slung across his back.
From his attitude it was apparent
that he was listening. 1t was proba-
BILE that the cries Of the birds and the
distant howl of wolf told his prac-
ticed ears how near the beaters We're
He presently moved across to where
De Chauxville was hidden, spoke
some words of advice or warning to
him and pointed with his gloved hand
in the direction whence the game might
be expected to come.
1t subsequently TRANSFERRED that Paul
was asking De Chauxville the where
about of Steinmetz, who had gained his
place of concealment unobserved by
either. De Chauxville could give him
no information, and Paul went away
to his post dissatisfied. Karl Stein
metz must have seen the1s He must
have OWNED the subject of their con-
versation, but he remained hidden and
gave no sign.
Paups post was behind a fallen tree,
and the watchers in the huc could see
him, while he was completely hidden
from any animal that might enter the
open clearing from the far end. He
turned and looked hard at the hut, but
the larch branch across the window eff
fectually prevented him from discov>
ering whether any one was behind it
or not.
Then suddenly the keeper gave lit
tie grunt and held up his hand, listen
ing with parted lips and eager eyes.
There was a distinct sound of break
ing branches and cracking underwood.
They could see Paul cautiously rise
from his knees to a crouching attitude
They followed the direction of his gaze,
and before them the monarch of these
forests stood in clumsy might A bear
had shambled to the edge of the clear
ing and was standing upright, growing
and grumbling to himself, his great
paws waving from side to side, his
shaggy head thrust forward with a
recurring jerk singularly suggestive of
a dandy with an uncomfortable collar.
These bears of northern Russia have
not the reputation of being very fierce
unless they are aroused from their
winter quarters, when their wrath
knows no bounds and their courage
recognizes no danger.
The bear stood poking his head and
looking about with little, fiery, blood
shot eyes for something to destroy.
His rage was manifest, and in his
strength he was a grand sight. The
majesty of power and dauntless cour-
age were his. t..