The commonwealth., 1905-11-10

.
crept cautiously forward among q
/ sparse growth Of young pines. His plan
was % shoot some Of the wolves, then
/ dash for the horse.
1 Suddenly he caught sight OF score
Of big gray timber wolves, yiciOusly es.
saying TO hamstring an active young
/ COW She was using her sharp boots
and horns with deadly effect; the bull
, rushed to The rescue we're yaliantly
assisting in the rcpulse Of her tor.
mentors, Yet the boy realized, as ha
watched the gaunt, active wolves. that
The young COW which vas already
wounded must soon sucrumb 70 her
assailants But as be raised his rife
10 ire m the leadiC% wolf he per
ceived some distance in the rear a big
black bear Having a special score ID
settle with bruin, Jim sent we'll
aimed shol Ia his direction. but by some
chance missed the vital spot, irtiictinga
Gesh wound which SO infuriated the bear
that. unable 10 discover other cause for
his pain b" Instantly fell upon the near.
ys, wolf stretching It out liic!ess at a
slngI" blow Advancing with rapid
strides into she midst Of the pack Tho
tearcr.aJed momeatary Consideration
during which the cattle, quick TO take
advantage Of the opening. rushed rap
idly un toward the settlement As they
swept past Jim saw that the one which
had been first attacked was the stray
COW be- was seeking
jjm's first impulse was to mount his
horse and cover as best he could the re-
treat Of the cattle. So rifle in hand,
he ran swiftly toward where he had
tethered his horse. What was his dis.
may to discover that his horse had
snapped It's leash and was galloping rap.
Idly on
Whoa. Charley! Whoa called the
boy, frantlcally
But the thoroughly frightened aul-
nal heard not, or, If 1t heard, utterly
failed to heed. And moment later the
wolves, foiled by the bears fury. sur
rounded the boy There was no time to
reload his rife. The wolves were upoa
him in furious gray wave. At best he
could only club his rifle and strike the
leader a stunning blow across the eyes
Then, quick as fash, the boy 1caped
over the second wolf and ran with all
his might toward a small pine a few
yards away, Once he stumbled, but rose
and throwing his rifle down put forth
his best speed At last he reached the
friendly tree, and with desperate on
put of strength drew himself up TO low
hanging limb None too soon was this
accomplished, for as he scrambled to.
ward the topmOst branches one Of the
wolves Icapcd high from the ground and
tore off strip of his coat.
Finally Jim paused brcathless and tat
tered in the top of the tree Below. at
jhe base of the tree, the wolves had col
jectcd en- masse, Though they were
and swapping in forocious
and occasionally leaping to,
ward the limbs, the boy felt no special
uneasiness They could not climb, But
as he looked down from his perch he
suddenly saw something that sent shiv.
or of fear TO his heart The bear was
shamblng swiftly toward the tree, Ar
rived among the wolves. he began to
cuff them out of his way, as though he
were their master Slowly, snaringly,
they retreated before him till space
was cleared. Then Brun began to do
what Jim had feaTed-climb the tree.
With wonderful swiftness aud surety
he mounted toward the boy, while the
wolves stood of watching eagerly, their
cruel eyes agleam
Jim had failed 10 bring his hunting
knife, So he was helTlcss before the as-
preaching brute.
Nearer, nearer, climbed the bear.
avoiding carefully the dead limbs in his
way. Evidently climbing was one of his
specialties.
Finally he was within few feet of the
Cramped figure. The slender pine was
swaying perilously. threatening to dip
earthward beneath the heavy burden.
But the bear climbed on unheeding. his
cunning little eyes fixed upon his prey.
Suddenly he snapped at the boys feet.
but ere he reached them Jim had drawn
them closer up to his body. Then hap.
pened what seemed an earthquake, dur
ing which the bear lost his balance and
pitched headlong to the ground. and
every wolf disappeared as If swept from
the face of the earth by mighty hand
When Jim recovered his equilibrium
he was clinging tenaciously to the tree
Underneath a number of big wolfhounds
we're tearing at the fur OF the bear and
several wolves which had fallen.
Five mounted bacKwoodsmen were
soon on the scene. At their head rode
old 81 Martin.
"Hullo, JIM" he called, cheerily
Cum down an git yo' bar skin. Dog
my buttons ef he didn't like ter git you
"Quarcst thing I've ever seed" he
run on; "er bar huntin with wolves.
hut ef hit aims so You kin shoot me ~
American Boy,
Well-to-Do Indian Woman.
An interesting character is an old
rTnyiTnp Inlinu v,ny,,nn Az.