Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-23

His eyes were not yet in good condi-
ton, and after IN uncertain scrutiny
he started at a run. for he saw that
the mysterious white object was near.
er the bridge than himself and rapidly
lessening the distance. A hundred
yards away his heart bounded and the
blood in his veins felt cold as the ice
under foot, for the white object proved
TO be traveller from the frozen north.
lean and famished-a polar bear, who
had scented food and was seeking IT.
coming on at a numbering run, with
great red Jaws half open and yellow
fangs exposed Rowland had no weap-
on but strong jackknife, but this he
pulled from his pocket and opened as
he ran. Not for an instant did he hesi-
tate at conflict that promised almost
certain death. for the presence OF this
bear involved the safety Of a child
whose life had become Of more i'm
portance to him than his own. To his
horror. he saw It creep out Of the
opening in its white covering, Just as
bridge.
"Gy back, baby, 20 back" he shout.
ed as he bounded down the slope.
The bear reached the child first and
with seemingly no effort dashed 1t,
with blow Of its massive paw, a
dozen feet away. where It lay quiet.
Turning TO follow, the brute was met
by Rowland.
The bear rose to his launches. sank
down and charged. ana Rowland felt
the bones of his left arm crushing un.
Ter the bite of the big, yellow fanged
jaws. But, falling. he buried the knife
slade in the shaggy hide, and the bear.
with an angry snarl, spat out the
mangled member and dealt him a
sweeping blow which sent him farther
along the Ice than the child had gone.
He arose, with broken ribs, and. scarce
feeling the pain. awaited the second
charge. Again was the crushed and
uelesss arm gripped in the yellow wise,
and again was he pressed backward,
but this time he used the knife with
method. The great snout was pressing
his breast; the hot. fetid breath was In
his nostrils, and at his shoulder the
hungry eyes were glazing into his own.
He struck for the left eye Of the brute
md struck true. The five inch blade
went in to the handle, piercing the
brain, and the animal, with a convul-
sive spring which carried him half
way to his feet by the wounded arm.
reared up, with paws outstretched. to
fun eight feet of length, then sagged
lown and with n few spasmodic kicks
lay still Rowland had done what no
innult hunter will attempt-he had
fought and killed the tiger Of the
north with knife.
1t had all happened in minute, but
n that minute he was crippled for life,
for in the quiet of a hospital the best
IF surgical skill could hardly avail TO
reset the fractured particles Of bone
Il the limp arm and bring to place the
rushed ribs. And he was adrift on a
coating island Of ice. with the TEN.
perature near the freezing point, and
without even the rude appliances Of
the savage
He painfully made his way to the
little pile of red and white and lifted
it with his uninjured arm. though the
stopping caused him excruciating tor
ture. The child was bleeding from
four deep, cruel scratches, extending
dlagonally from the right shoulder
down the back. but he found upon ex-
animation that the soft. yielding bones
were unbroken and that her uncon-
seriousness came from the rough con-
tact Of the little forehead with the ice.
for large lump had raised.
OF pure necessity his first efforts
must be made in his own behalf, so
wrapping the baby In his coat he
placed 1t in bis shelter and cut and
made from the canvas a sling for his
dangling arm. Then. with knife, fin
gers and teeth, he partly skinned the
bear-often compelled to pause to save
himself from fainting with pain-and
cut from the warm but not very thick
LAYER of fat q broad slab which after