The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-06-15

an uOHe IL lcr Hlb luuy lar, BIC re-
piled. with no small amount OF spiri;,
an IL you was a proper an courageous
man, an dooly sincere, you'd sew my
favor on to yer hat, eve II twas only
a bone button, an prove yerself noble
before ye asked me to say Yes or No
or Mind yer business concernin' this
here marryin'. There amt no way
fer me to kfow yer waller, an there's
no chivalry left these days, nohow, an
those woods might be full of demon
wolves, an never a one you'd kill fer
me-"
Her words came forth with an un-
wonted sprftter, while she eyed ths
nearby woods as II expecting to see
a demon wolf issue therefrom forth
with. SilaS looked upon her oddly.
IF you was my wife, or would prom.
Use to splice up along of me, I'd wear
yer ribbon, er button, er anything OF
your'n, but jist now I'm wearin' a rib
bon fer somebody else.'
"Oh! so ye are; an whose, may !
ask?"
MY little GELS" said he.
"Oh!"
They were silent some time.
Then you don't think you no-ways
could this mornin'7" Silas moved OF
slowly. And never a turn turned he
to look upon her; but the book was
neglected, while she watched him, and
her lips quivered a time or two.
With the baby mounted high, aud
nhtNn1y1fno roa--1rv T,.l 1000 fz-AI 81
his work that morning. grinning and
joking the little one, signing and drop-
ping a long jLV for himself. Soon she
was babbling in the woods with her
toys-a headless doll, a badly-warped
napkin ring, and a long row of fresh
chips, clean from the glittering steel.
and yet redolent of the pine. From
log to log wen Silas, hewing his way
vigorously, If not valiantly, and glanc-
ing at the baby between the scudding
bits that flew from the polished edge.
Presently, his measure along tina
log wherein he worked brought him
opposite a tree that hid the little ono
from sight Well, he would rush il
the faster, he thought, and he did
Suddenly, above the noise of his echo
ings blows, came a shrill call:
Papa! mammal! papai"
Like one possessed, he bounded ovei
a fallen tree toward the baby. AMI
he nearly reeled with the stroke OF
his heart, for out of the copse, sway
ing heavily on its silent feet, came d
gaunt grizzly bear, with blazing, hun
cry eyes.
Holt" Jud halloed, in a fearful
voice, rushing madly forward; and he
felt his flesh creep all a-chilI at the
size Of the monster.
1t stopped, leered at him malicious
ly, and swung itself erect, with a
movement at once active and awkward,
coming forward to meet him as if well
aware that he must first be dealt with.
Without a sign of fear, Jud leaped
straight in front Of the beast, and
swung his AK at it's head. The huge
brute lodged, saving its skull, but sac
rificing half of its left paw. Enraged
with pain, it stood again, and came
at him, CORY and roaring. Again the
axman struck, but not so skillfully,
and the bear warded with his other
paw, with such accuracy and force as
to strike the handle a heavy blow that
sem the weapon hurting away, end
over end.
With a fiendish snort, the bear
closed in. The scream Of some ona
who had hurried there, startled by the
baby's call, attracted only a seconds
notice from the animal, out in that mo-
ment Jud whipped out a long, keen
strike.
Fierce, then, and furious the scene.
Grasping the man about the Shout
|.ders, daubing him. chest and neck and
back. with the bleeding paw, tearing
away the clothes and flesh from his
breast and arms, raking him again and
again with its claw-armed hind fee.
the grizzly seemed a very demon in
deed.
Into the reeking, hairy body the man
drove the steel time after time. but
his stabs were far too short, the hide
vas far to thick, and the bears vitality
most wonderful. Forward they trs IN
pied, backward they staggered, in a
seemingly endless struggle. Yet it
could last but little longer. for the man
now bled from gashes deep and long.
scored On his arms, legs and body; his
strength waned, and his thrusts with
the knife seemed almost useless.
Backward Silas went. He knew that
he should fall in a moment, and the
thought CT what would happen was
m~addening. He lunged again, des.
perately, stabbing the blade in tie
the hilt; he felt the huge brute CULVER
then somebody came and raped a
furious tattoo on the back of the ami,
mails head with a rafting umbrella
that cracked and bruised in a mannei
SO utterly ~aggravating that the crea-
ture was glad to drop the man and
turn. Keeling forward, Jud grabbed