Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-30
On the Roof of the World
Continued from page s

gered, as if with suspicion, upon the crevice
wherein the bear had fattened himself. Was
there something unduly solid in that blue
shadow in the crevices No, a trick of the witch
lights, surely! The piercing eyes returned to
their eager watching of the seals.
Precious as was his ammunition and indif
ferent as was his shooting with the old, big
bore Hudson Bay musket. the man was begin
ming to think he would have to stake his
chances on the gun. But, suddenly, as if at a
hand-sweep of the Infinite, the great lights
vanished.
FOR few seconds, by the violence of the con-
I trast, it seemed as if thick darkness had
fallen on the world.
In those few seconds, noiseless and swift as a
panther, the man had run over the ridge to
within dozen PAGES of the seals and paused
with spear uplifted, waiting till his eyes should
once more be able to see in the starlight glm-
mer. As he stood thus waiting, every sense,
nerve, and muscle on the last strain of expect
ancy and readiness, he heard, or seemed to feel
as much as to hear the rush of some great bulk
through the gloom. Then came a scramble,
heavy splash, second splash terrible scuf-
fling noise, and hoarse. barking scream. The
man remembered that before the light went out
there had been three seals on the ice. Two he
had heard escape. What had befallen the
third?
Fiercely, like beast being robbed of its
prey, he sprang forward several PAGES. Then
he stopped: for he could not yet see clearly
enough to distinguish what was before him.
His blood pounded through his veins The cold
of eternity was flowing in upon him, here on
the naked roof of the world; but he had no
feeling or fear of it. All he felt the presence
of his foe there before him, close before him. in
the dark.
Then once more the light flooded back, the
wide flung silver radiance, suddenly and
mysteriously as it had vanished.
Close beside the airhole, half crouching on
the body of the slain seal, with one great paw
upifted, and bloody jaws open in defiance,
stood the bear, glaring at the man.
Without instant's hesitation the man
hurled his spear. 1t flew true. But in that
same second the bear lifted his paw to ward off
the blow. He was not quite quick enough, but
almost. The blade struck; but not where it
aimed. 1t bit deep. but not to the life.
With growl of rage he tore it loose and
charged upon the man.
THE antagonists were not more than twenty
PAGES apart,-and now glory of colored
lights, green red, and golden. went dancing
madly over them, with whispering, rustling
sound, of stiff silk crumpled in vast folds.
The mans eyes were keen and steady In a
flash both hands were out of his great fur nit
tens, which were tied by thongs to his sleeves.
The heavy musket leaped to his shoulder, and
his eye ran coolly along the barrel. There was
thunderous roar, of a little cannon. A
dense cloud of smoke sprang into the air just
before the rnuzzle of the gun.
Through the smoke a towering shape, with
wide jaws and battering paws, hurled itself.
The man 1eaped to one side-but not quite far
enough. One great paw, striking blindly,
smote him down, and as he fell the huge bulk
fell half on him-only to roll over the next in
slant and lie huddled and motionless on the ice.
The man picked himself up, shook himself,
and look Of half-dazed triumph went across
his swarthy face as he pulled on his mittens.
Then he smiled broadly, patted approvingly the
old Hudson Bav musket turned on his heels,
and sent a long summoning cry across the ice
toward the gloos at the foot of the Little Hills.