Middletown transcript., 1912-03-23
CHAPTER v.

The Bear, the Man and the Flood.
The water was deep enough to re-
jceive her dive and the pool was long
enough to enable her to swim few
strokes. The first chill Of the icy wa
ter was soon lost in the vigorous mo-
lions in which she INDUCED, but no
more human form, however hardy and
Injured, could long endure that frigid
bath. Reluctantly, yet with the knoWl-
edge that she must go, after one more
sweeping dive and few magnificent
strokes, she raised her head from the
water tapping her white shoulders and
shaking her face clear from the drops
of crystal, faced the shore. It was no
longer untenanted, she was no longer
alone.
What she saw startled and alarmed
her beyond measure. Planted on her
clothes, looking straight at her, hay
ing come upon her in absolute ST.
lence, nothing having given her the
least warning Of his approach, and
now gazing at her with red, hungry,
evil, vicious eyes, the eyes OF the
Icovetous filed with the cruel lust OF
desire and carnal possession, and yet
with a CLINT of surprise in them, too,
as II he did not know quite what to
make Of the white loneliness Of this
,unwonted apparition flashing 30 sud-
denly at him out Of the water, this
strange invader of the domain OF
which he was sole master and lord
paramount, stood a great, monstrous,
frightful looking grizzly bear. Ursus
Horribilis, indeed.
He was an aged monarch Of the
mountains, reddish brown In color
originally, but now a hoary dirty
gray. His body was massive and
lburly, his legs short, dark colored and
immensely powerful. His broad square
head moved restlessly. His fanged
mouth opened and low hoarse growl
came from the red cavern Of his
throat. He was an old and terrible
monster who had tasted the blood Of
man and who would not hesitate to
attack without proVocation, especially
anything at once so harmless and SO
whitley inviting as the girl in the
pool.
The girl forgot the chill Of the water
in the horror Of that moment. Alone,
naked, defenseless, lost In the noun
tains, with the most powerful, san
culinary and ferocious beast Of the
continent in front OF her, she could
neither fight nor hy; she could only
walt his pleasure. He snuffed at her
clothing a moment and stood with
one fore foot advanced for a second
or two growing deeply, evidently, she
thought with almost superhuman
keenness Of perception, preparing to
leap into the pool and seize upon her.
The rush of the current as it swirled
about her caused her to sway gently,
otherwise she stood motionless and
apprehensive, awfully expectant. She
had made no sound, and save for that
low grOwl the great beast had been
equally silent. There was an awful
6xity In the gaze she turned upon him
and he wavered under it. 1t annoyed
him. It bespoke a little of the DOM
AuhnC6 VI lAo AuuQdus Out 6u6 Wd6
too surprised, too unnerved, too des-
perately frightened to put forth the
full power of mind over matter. There
was piteous appeal in her gaze. The
bear realized this and mastered her
sufficiently.
She did not know whether she was
In the water or in the air; there were
but two points upon which her con-
seriousness was focused in the vast
ellipse Of her Imagination. Another
moment or two and all coherency Of
thought would be gone. The grizzly
still unsettled and uneasy before her
awful glance, but not deferred by it,
turned its great head sideways a lit
tie to escape the direct immobile
stare brought his sharp clawed foot
down heavily and lurched forward.
: Scarcely had a minute elapsed in
which all this happened. That huge
threatening heave Of the great body
toward her relieved the tension. She
found voice at last. Although 1t was
absolutely futile, she realized as she
cried, her released lips framed the
loud appeal.
"Helpi for Gods sake"
Although she knew she cried but
to the bleak walls Of the canon, the
dropping pines, the rushing river, the
distant heaven, the appeal went forth
accompanied By the mightiest con
5uration known to man.
For Gods sake, help!"
How dare poor humanity so plead,
the doubter cries. What is 1t to God
II one suffers, another bleeds, another
dies? What answer could come out OF |
that silent sky? Sometimes the Lord |
speaks with the loud voice Of mems |