Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-05
THE GRIZZLY KING
By JAMES OLIVER CURWooD
The Author of "Kazan"

finest young grizzlies in all the mountains.
The mother took them back with her un-
born and they opened their eyes and lived
and fought in the valleys and on the slopes
far to the west If in later years Thor
ever chased his own children out Of his
hunting grounds, or whipped them In a
fight, nature kindly blinded him to the
fact He was like Host grouchy old
bachelors; he did not like small folk He
tolerated little cub as a cross.grnined old
woman hater might have tolerated pink
baby; but he wasn't as cruel as Punch, for
he had never killed a cub. He had cuffed
them soundly whenever they had dared to
come within reach OF him, but always
with the flat, soft palm OF his paw, and
with just enough force behind 1t to send
them keeling over and over like little round
fluffy balls.
This was Thors only expression OF dis
pleasure when strange mother bear in.
vaded his range with her cubs. In other
ways he was quite chivalrous. He would
not drive the mother bear and her cubs
away and he would not fight with her, no
matter how shrewish or unpleasant she
was, Even II he found them eating at one
OF his kills, he would do nothing more than
give the cubs a sound cutting.
All this is somewhat necessary to show
with what sudden and violent agitation
Thor caught a certain warm, close smell as
he came around the end OF q mass Of huge
boulders. He stopped, turned his head
and swore in his low, growing way.
Six feet away from him, grovellng fat in
patch Of white sand, wriggllng and shak-
ing for all the world like a half-frightened
puppy that had not yet made up its mind
whether II had met a friend or an enemy
was lone bear cub. II was not more than
three months old--altogether too young 10
be away from its mother; and II had a
sharp little tan face and white spot on
its baby breast which marked II as a mem
Der OF the black bear family. and not
grizzly,
The cub was trying as hard as It could
70 say, II am st, strayed, or stolen; I'm
hungry and I've got a porcuplne Quill in
my foot" but in spite Of that with another
ominous growl, Thor began 10 look about
the rocks for the mother, She was not In
sight and neither could he smell her two
facts which turned his great head toward
the cub.
MuslIwa--an Indian would have called
the cub that-had crawled a foot or two
nearer on his little belly. He greeted Thor's
second inspection with genial wriggling
which carried him forward another half
foot, and a low warning rumbied In Thor's
chest Don't come any nearer" It said
plainly enough, "or I'll keel you over"
Muskwa understood. He lay as II dead,
his nose and paws and belly nat on the
sand and Thor looked about him again
When his eyes returned to Muskwa, the cub
was within three feet Of him. squirmlng fat
in the sand and whimpering softly. Thor
lifted his right paw four inches from the
ground Another inch and I'll give you
welt !" he growled.
Muskwa wriggled and trembled he licked
his lips with his tiny red tongue, half In
fear and half pleading for mercy and in
spite Of Thor's lifted paw he wormed his
way another six inches nearer.
There was a sort Of rattle instead OF a
growl in Thor's throat. His heavy hand
fell 10 the sand. A third time he looked
about and shifted the air he growlsd again.
Any crusty old bachelor would have under
stood that growl, Now where the devil Is
the kids mother II said.
Something happened then, Muskwa had
crept close to Thor's wounded leg. He rose
up, and his nose caught the scent Of the raw
wound. Gently his tongue touched IT, II
was like velvet-that tongue II was Won
derfully pleasalt TO feel. and Thor stood
there for man. moments. making neither
movement nor sound while the cub licked
his wound. Then he lowered his great head
He shifted the soft little bali OF friendship
that had come to him. Muskwa whihed in
a motherless way Thor growled but more
softly now. 1t was no longer a threat. The
heat Of his great tongue fell once on the
cubs face,
Come on!" he said, and resumed his
journey into the north.
And closely at his heels followed the
motheTless little tan-fRced cub
CHAPTER vi