Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-06-29
CHAPTER xvllI.-continued.

1.-THE sentence is that you shall be
frightened with a bear story. There's
a big one coming down the beach aft
er you this very moment, and you're
to surrender the revolver to me and
stay under arrest in the hut until aft
er I have killed him."
She did not need to be told that he
was in earnest, in spite Of the smile
that went with his words. She turned
about quickly and looked up the
beach, sighting along Cayley's arm as
he pointed. Even in the deep twilight
she could already make out the sham
bling figure that was coming along to-
ward them on all fours.
Why does he move In that queer
sort Of way?" she whispered.
They had shrunk back into the
shadow of the hut, the girl actually
inside Of the vestibule and Cayley on
the doorstep.
"He's been wounded. When | was
overhead / could make out the blood
stains on his side, and he was leaving
a track on the ice.
Wounded in a fight with another
bear?"
mo, that's not likely"
She asked no further explanation,
but slipped into the hut. The next
moment she was back with the field
glasses.
while you're attending to the
bear" she said in a whisper, I'll just
keep watch up the beach for-for any
one else"
The past weeks had made one diff
ference in her attitude toward Cayley
which she was now aware Of, as she
contrasted her sensations on seeing
Philip step forward, out Of the shelter
of the hut, to confront the bear, with
those she had experienced when he
had set out on a similar errand once
before. She knew him now, and she
had no fear for him. The feeling
that thrilled her now vas nearer akin
70 pride than anything else.
Cayley fully justified her confidence.
The course the bear was taking would
: have brought him within 20 yards of
their doorstep. When he first caught
sight Of Cayley he stopped, In two
minds, apparently, whether to be
hunted or to do the hunting himself.
Then, as Cayley advanced upon him
rather slowly, he decided, Kissed at
him venomously and reared up.
He was already badly enough
wounded to have taken all the fight
out Of any other sert of animal. but
half alive as he was, he cost Cayley
four cartridges. Three of those shots
Cayley was reasonably sure must have
entered a vital spot. The first one
took the bear between the eyes as he
was rising. The second was fired into
his open mouth. The third was prob.
ably detected by the massive fore
paw which he was holding across his
body, in the attitude Of q boxer. The
fourth shot, however, penetrated his
throat and probably smashed one OF
the two first ~vertebrae, for it seemed
to bring the monster down all in q
heap, where he finally lay still. Cay
,ey could have reached him with his
foot.
Good shooting" said the girl quiet
ly from the little vestibule.
He reloaded the revolver. letting
the empty shells drop UNDECIDED or
the Ice at his feet. He gave the weap
on back to the girl, and bent over the
bear.
"Pm less interested in what l die
to him." he said. than in what he goi
from the enemy who first attacked
him"
The light was almost gone, SO that
all he could see were two or thres
irregular dark stains upon the white
a wound in the flank. which