The Press., 1910-03-16


 had left if al home What wonder if. as an Irishn,an might say. wished that had ieftl myself there before started!
 Against all this had the epnsola- tory assurance that the grizzly bear never climbs. which, as the frees were all om the side of the bear. -did4nog add much to my sense of security But my principal hope lay in the fact tha8 I was just then hidden by the gully. the depth of which varied from eight to twelve feet. with precipitous sides and n. dry bed. which probably led down 10 some neighboring stream of water. s.. K
 Now. thought l. T have only to crawl along this ditch. reach the stream. cross ii and bid -goodby to grizzly.
 II had just picked myself up and was proceeding to carry out my plan of escape when | heard cracking and sbreaking of the underbrush which fringed the ditch aud by which I was partly screened from view This was speedily followed by an angry growl as he treacherous earth gave way and let Mir. Bear with no gentle tumble directly. down into theSvery gully into which ] had fallen. -@.
 .'Fortunately for me. bruin had not only greater fall. but tumbled into the ditch at Ba point somewhat distant. from my hiding place. md the little ferret eyes did not at once perceive me. .s3-AnaunMcky stumble, however. which owed. to ,M twisted root, be- trayea me, and he turned and gave chase. ~ K N
 They have very expressive phrase in California when a person is desired to leave suddenly. It consists of but two words. You git! My deara, when that. be;lF tumbled into my gully T got. and when he took up the chase continued to gif' in a style which astopished even myself
 "When first saw him fall certain ly hoped that he had broken bis nose at least or even dislocated his great ugly neck. but that hope vanished in q moment.
 "He was evidently not whit the worse forAh his sometsault.
 ''lt was no longer matter of cere- mony. l sped ayerathe ground like a hunted deer. while my stout friend came numbering and pumng on behind. like q portly old gentleman who fears he may be too late for the evening train was expecting every moment to feel the blow of his heavy paw. when, turning an angle of the gully. perceived with DO little disInay. that the ditch in front of me was blocked. by an immense fallen tree. The small CT end of the broken trunk. being to- ward me.. showed an opening wide enough to admir- my then somewhat more than usually, slender form.
 ''There was little time for hesitation I could hear the bears heavy tramp behind me. \ moment more and 1 had plunged into fhe opening and drew my gun after me. just as my fat friend rounded the turn of the slough in hot pursuit Running blindly on. he en- deayored to force himself after me. giving the log q shock which made me tremhle for rl1e security of my new tenement.
 'One or two furious plunges tended to convince him that could enter where his huge frame could not. for he seemed to reflect and finally intro duced q paw. from whose farreaching grab l retired into the inner recesses of ny chamber.
 :'sfndipg that his attempts in this way were equally futile.s began to feel q little more at~ease, and when hruin again. poked in his great paw in an ipqHiring sort of way ] managed to push dead duck out to-, him with the butt of my gun by way of peace of fering. was willing just then to have peace at any price short of surrender.
 "Bpt Sir Bear had no thought of such compromise, He tore away and made the feathers fly with his cruel teeth and claws in 8 style which gave me pretty lively notion of what Il might expect were I to trust myself within their grasp,
 II had begun to think seriously of giving my ptlrsuer the benefit of a charge of duck shot in the hope of putting out one or both of his ugly little eyes and making him give up the hunt when. my eyes becoming accus- Somed to the darkness, l discovered a alint indication of light behind me. l Tawled toward 1t and dropped out backward,
 'The creek was below me, and l dropped into It in a moment and push ed. apparently unheard, to the opposite bank. whence prudence. coupled. with some doubts as fo the possibility of discharging a wet gun. induced me to leave Ursa Major. to his. log boring while made the best of my way bapE to camp" ts.Ft