Yellowstone monitor., 1912-08-08


The girl 1T my side uttered cry oe
terror and turned TO run as best she
might. but she fell and lay there COW
ering,
The grizzly stood looking at me vim.
dictiyely with little eyes, its ears hack
Its jaws working. its paws swinging
loosely at its side. the claws white ~
the lower end, as though newly shar-
pened for slaughterIag. | saw then
that 1t was angered by the sight OF tha
dog and would not leave us. Each mo-
ment expected to hear 1t crash
through the bush in It's charge. Once
down In the brush. there vould no
small chance Of delivering a fatal shot.
whereas now. as it swung its broad
head slightly TO one side, the best nos.
sible opportunity for killing 1t present
ed itself Immediately Without hesita-
ton | swung up the heavy barrel and
drew the small silver bead directly on
the base of the ear where the side
bones Of bears head are fiatter and
thinner. directly alongside the brain.
The vicious crack of the rifle sounded
loud there i'll the thicket. but there
came no answer In response TO it save
crashing and slipping ana breaking
down OF the bushes as the vast carcass
fell ut full length. The little ball had
done It's work and found the brain.
We were two savages. successful now
In the chase-successful, indeed. In win
ming the capital prize Of all savages, for
few indians will attack the grizzly II
1t can he avoided. she laid her hand
wonderingly upon the barrel of the
rife, looking ut 1t curiously. that 1t
had been so deadly as TO slay crea-
ture SO vast as this, Then she leaned
cOntentediy against my side, and SO we
sat there for time. John CowIes."
she said you are very much man
I am not afraid shen you are with
me-" ] put my arm about her. The
world seemed wild and fair and sweet
to me. Life. savage. stern. swept
through all my veins. We were very
busily engaged In cutting up the
slaughtered grizzly, when all at once
we stopped and looked at each other
In silence We had heard q sound To
me it sounded like a rife shot. We
listened.
1t came again, with many others
There was volley Of several shots,
sounds certain beyond any manner Of
question. Her eyes were large and
startled caught her bloody hand In
my bloody one. and for an instant |
believed we both meditated flight deep
er into the wilderness.
1T may not be any one we know"
said lit may be Indians"
NO" said she, lit is my father.
They have found US. We must 60!
John"-she turned toward me and put
her hands ON my breast-"John."
saw terror and regret and resolve look
out Of her eyes. but not Joy al this
deiiyerance. No, 1t was not Joy that
shone in her eyes. None the less the
ancient yoke of society being offered,
we bowed our necks again, fools and
| slaves, surrendering freedom, joy, CON
tent, as though that were our duty.
Silently we made our way toward the
edge Of the thicket where 1t faced
upon the open valley.
/ Almost as we paused | saw coming
forward the STOPPING figure Of an In
dian trailer, nalf naked. belegginEed,
moccasined. following our fresh tracks
at trot
carefully covered him with the little
silver bead minded to end his quest.
But before could estimate his errand
or nrepare TO receive him closely IN
case he proved an enemy, | saw ap-
preaching around a little point OF tim
her other men, white men, a half doz-
en- of them. one a tall man in dusty
garments. with boots and hat ana
gloves
And then | saw her. my promised
wife leave my side and limp and stag
ger forward, her arms outstretched- ]
saw the yoke of submission, the cove
nant of society, once more accepted.
Father she cried.
They gathered about us. / saw hin
look down at her with half horror Oh
his face. Then noticed that she was
clad In fringed skins, that her heao
covering was a bit OF hide. that hei
hair was burned yellow at the ends
that her foot coverings were uneoutn
that her hands and arms were brown
whore not stained red by the blood II
which they had dabbled. looEei
down also at myself and saw tneI
that was tall. brown. gaunt. bearded
ragged. my clothing of wool well nigi
gone. my limbs wound In puttee Dana'
of hide: my hands large. horny oIacK
ened. rough was savage new
. drawn from my cave. dragged DC
: hind me the great grizzled hide OF tn
dead bear clutched in one hairy manu-
And sonber and sullen as any saNase
brutal and silent In resentment IL -
7 ing disturbed. | stared at tnem- -
.sVha are you?" demanded tne Ia
! man OF me sternly. but still o1d ~
as hands TuggeU