The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-01-06

whiskey flask. which lept purely for
emergencies. and dranh all the con
tents
When l came back he was quite
drunk. This was unbearab.e. and
after some high words left him. and
struck off homeward through the
woods on my own account We had
with us four pack ana saddle horses;
and of these took very Intelligent
and gentle little bronco mare, which
possessed the invaluable trait of al
ways staying near camp. even when
not hoDbled. | was not hammered
with much of an outfit, having only
my buffalo sleeping-bag, fur coat.
and my washing kit. with a couple of
spare pairs of socks and some hand
kerchiefs. | walked. while the little
mare followed almost like a dog. often
without my having hold the lariat
which served as halter.
AS dusk was coming on halted and
camped in little open spot by the
side Of small, noisy brook. with crys-
tai water. | opened the pack. tossed
the bedding on Il smooth spot. knee
battered the little mare, dragged I'D Il
few dry logs. and then stroled of.
rifle on shoulder, through the frosty
cleaning. to see if could pick up a
grouse for supper.
AS | was thinking of turning towards
camp. | stole up to the crest of one of
the ridges and looked over into the
valley some sixty yards off lmmedi-
ately | caught the loom of some large.
dark object: and another glance show
ed me big grisly walking slowly of
with his head down. He was quarter
ing to me. and | fired into his flank,
the bullet rs | afterwards found,
ranging downward and piercing one
lung.
AT the shot he uttered a loud
moaning grunt and plunged forward at
heavy gallop, While | raced obique-
~ down the hill to cut him off. After
going few hundred feet he reached
laurel thicket. some thirty yards
broad, and two or three times as long
which be Cid not leave. | ran up to
the edge and there halted. not fixing
to venture into the mass of twisted.
close-grOwing stems and glossy foli
age. Moreover. as | halted, | heard
him utter a peculiar, savage kind of
whine from the heart of the brush.
Accordingly. | began to skirt the edge,
standing on tiptoe and gazing earnest
ly to see if could not catch a glimpse
of his hide When | was at the mar
rowest part of the thicket. he sud
denly left it directly opposite. and then
wheeled and stood broadside TO me on
the hillside, 4 little above. He turned
his head stiffly towards me: scarlet
strings Of froth hung from his lips;
his eyes burned like emberS in the
gloom.
l held true. aiming behind the Shout
der. and my bullet shattered the point
or lower end of his heart. taking out
a big nick. Instantly the great bear
turned with harsh roar Of fury and
challenge, blowing the bloody foam
from his mouth, SO that | saw the
CLEAN Of his white fangs: and then he
bounding through the laurel bushes,
so that it was hard to aim. | waited
until he came to a fallen tree. raking
him as he topped it with a ball, which
entered his chest and went through
the cavity of his body, but he neither
swerved nor fiinched. and at the mo-
ment | did not know that had struck
him. He came steadily on. and In
another second was almost upon me.
| fired for his forehead. but my bull
let went low. entering his open mouth.