The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
Herrick waved his hand res,

Herrick waved his hand resS,,r;nsiv
They won't even see me, = ex.
planned. 7 can find my way aboGet this
place better than they can. And XII
keep to windward of them, and watA
them. Go to the house." he command
ed. III be with you in an hour. and
report"
II was with real relief that, on as
sembling for dinner, the house party
found Herrick, in high spirits, with the
usual number of limbs. and awaiting
them. The experiment had proved
great success. He told how, unheeded
by the bears, be had, without difficulty,
followed in their tracks. For an hour
he had watched them. No happy school
children, let loose at recess, could have
embraced their freedom with more OBJ
vious delight They drank from the
running streams, for honey they ex-
plored the hollow tree-trunks, they
sharpened their claws on moss-grown
rocks, and among the fallen oak leaves
scratched violently for scorns.
So satisfied was Herrick with what
he had seen, with the success of his ex-
pertinent. and so genuine and unselhsh
was he in the thought of the happiness
be had brought to the beasts of the
forests, that for him no dinner ever
passed more pleasantly Miss Waring,
who sat next to her host, thought she
had seldom met a man with so kind and
simple a nature. She rather resented
the fact, and she was inwardly indig-
nant that so much right feeling and af-
fection should be wasted on farm-yard
fowls, and four-footed animals. She
felt sure that some nice girl, seated at
the other end of the table, smiling
through the light of the wax candles
upon Herrick, would soon make him
forget his love Of Mature and Natures
children" She even saw herself there,
and this may have made her exhibit
more interest in Herricks experiment
than she really felt In any event, Her
rick found her most sympathetic, and
when dinner was over carried her off
TO a corner of the terrace. II was
warm night in early October, and the
great woods of the game preserve that
stretched below them were lit with a
full moon. On his way to the lake for
a moonlight row with one OF the house
party who belonged to that sex that
does not row, but looks well in the
moonlight, Kelly halted, and jeered
mockingly.
How can you sit there" he demand
ed, while those poor beasts are freez-
ing in a cave, with not even 4 silk
covCrlet OF a pillow-sham. You and
your valet ought to be down there now
carrying them pajamas."
Kelly" declared Herrick. unruffied
in his moment of triumph, Il hate to
say i told you sO,' but you force me.
Go away" he commanded. you have
neither imagination or soul"
And that's true" he assured Miss
Waring, as Kelly and his companion
left them. Now. | see nothing in what
| accomplished that is ridiculous. Had
you watched those bears as l did. You
would have felt that sympathy Ihat eN-
lists between all who love the ouI-of-
door life. A dog loves to see his mas
ter pick up his stick and his hat TO
take him for a walk, and the man en-
joys seeing the dog leaping and quar-
tering the fields before him. They are
both the happier. At least / am hap
pier tonight, knowing those bears are
at peace and at home, than / would be
if | thought of them being whipped
through their tricks in dirty theater."
Herrick pointed to the great forest trees
of the preserve, their tops showing dim
ly in the mist of moonlight Some
where, down in that valley" he murmur-
ed, ARE three happy animals. They
are no longer slaves and puppets-they
are their own masters. For the rest
OF their lives they can sleep on pine
needles and dine on nuts and honey.
No one shall molest them, no one shall
force them through degrading tricks
Hereafter they can choose their life,
and their own home among the rocks,
and the"
Herrick's words were frozen on his
tongue.
From the other end OF the terrace
came scream so fierce, so long, so
full of human suffering, that at the
sound of blood of all that heard it turn
ed to water. 1t was so appalling that
for an instant no one moved, and then
from every part of the house. along
the garden walks, from the servants
quarters, came the sound of pounding
feet. Herrick, with Miss Waring
at his sleeve. raced toward
the other end of the terrace. They had
not far to go. Directly in front of
them they saw what had dragged from
the very soul of the woman the scream
Of terror.
The drawing-room opened upon the
terrace, and, seated at the piano, jack
son had been playing for those in the
room to dance The windows to the
terrace were open. The terrace itself
i-as flooded with moonlight. Seeking
he fresh air. one of the dancers step
,ed from the drawing-room to the flags
outside. She had then raised the cry
IF terror and fallen in a faint What
he had seen, Herrick a moment later
Ilso saw. On the terrace in the moon
light, Bruno and Clara, on their mind
egs, were solemnly Waiting. Neither
he scream nor the cessation of the mu-
ic disturbed them. Contentedly, proud
Y, they continued to revolve in hops
nd leaps. From their happy express
ion. it was evident they not only were
njoying themselves, but that they felt
hey were greatly affording immeaS-
rable delight to others.
SICK at heart, furious, bitterly hurt,
NTH 7oars OF moclling laughter in his
ars, Herrick ran toward the stables
or help. At the farther end of the
GRACE the butler had placed a tray of
queurs, whistles and soda bottles. His
ack had been turned for only 4 few
but the time had suficed
Lolling with his legs out, stretched
/ wicker chair. Herrick beheld the