The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-01-02

l6< s1sxS2 70 paddIg W6vrlgftA
and liked Joe's canoe better than th{
! old tug. as she named the rowboat
And the third week. as she padded
cautiously around close lnshore she dis
cOkefed the rising smoke from anothef
campare. Doubtless 1t came FROM
MaAdego's place. she thought. and pad
died on without curiosity. After all,
doing picket .ddfy waslf SO bad. She
rather enjoyed the responsibility.
And suddenly she heard a peculiar
sound In the water behind her heavy
swish and deep breathing. Just one
glance back at the dark shaggy head
lifting from the water and Nancy
would have tainted If 1t had not been
for some good oil, pioneer strain far
back that held her steady. Built was
bear and large one. and padding
steadily In the wake Of the canoe. She
couldn't swim at all. and the distance
to shore seemed mile, whom, Il was
barely stones throw. Trying, to keep
her nerve and strength. she padded
faster and faster. but the bear gained
on her. and all at once her paddle
struck a sunken tree. caught and
snapped in half. <
"Don't jump. Keep quiet!"
The voice came from the shore, but
Nancy had covered her face with her
hands. 1t was tragic moment, and
yet for the life of her she couldn't
keep out Of her bead a crazy little
rhyme the girls had said at school:
"Aigy met a bear.
And the bear was bulgy.
And the bulge was Algy."
There came the crack Of rife and
a flounderlng In the water behind her;
then a canoe slipped out from shore
and q man sent second shot into the
bear. killing 1t. Nancy looked up. her
hands still on her face. He was white
and young. and very good looking.
And the worst of 1t was he didn't APP
pear one bit concerned over her. He
was too busy throwing rope over the
bear to tow 1t In behind him.
wonder II he'll swamp me-" he
laughed. "Some bear. isn't he2S You
were c0rking, the way you led him In
for me-"
81 didn't want to lead him." said
Nancy with sense of outraged dig
nifty. HE was chasing me, you know! !"
"well, you kept your head, anyway.
Some girls would have fallen over
board the minute they saw him.. My
names Jack HOLSTER, and l think
we're neighbors. You're Miss Nc
Alarney, aren't you? I've heard Lois
and John speak of you. Are they up
at the lodge"
The two canoes came into shore side
by side. Not for anything would Nancy
have confessed how shaky she felt
every time she stole look back at
the dead bear--not with this debonair
Nimrod chatting to her as IL they had
met at some happy, coy little ten in
town.
Mrs. Dupre took the news also stoI-
idly, merely nodding her head.
"He one YER fine man." she said fer
vently. "He kill all bear"
Two weeks later Lois arrived with n
pale, chastened Petsie and wearied,
harassed John in tow. Nancy met
them at the falls station, tanned and
perfectly happy, with strange object
dangling around her neck, polished,
curved claws strung Indian fashion on
a thong of deer hide.
"You poor, lonely, forsaken child !"
exclaimed Lois. did you think we
were never coming? What on earth
are those claws for?"
They're symbol Of romance" said
Nancy, plaoidly. "Thc bear nearly ate
me-"
Bears don't eat people," interrupted
John, bluntly. "You don't have to go
any farther. Jacks written to me, and
we-Lois and Petsie and myself-have
agreed to permit him to protect you
from all bears In the future. I've
known him since he was ten, and when
Lois asked you up this year she
hoped"
"John 7" Lois tone was final. Nancy
laughed softly, her fingers holding the
claws.
"But the bear really started It," she
said.
Beautiful Petrified Trees.