Evening journal., 1922-01-09
(continued From Last Issuo.)

Bnrs bullet went straight home.
ripping through the lungs. tearing
the great arteries about the heart,
shivering even portion OF the heart
itself And yet the grizzly sprang
like a demon through the deep
snow. stra ght toward him.
Nirginias horrided eyes saw his
fingers race as he worked the lever
action Of the gun. The bear seemed
almost upon him. And she
screamed when she heard the i'm
potent click OF the hammer against
the breech. Bill had fired the single
shot that was in the gun.
Before ever he heard the sound
Harold remembered In one wave Of
horror he recalled that he had for
gotten to refill the magazine with
shells Yet leaping fast-red and
deadly upon the heels OF his remorse
there came an emotion that scared
him like a wall Of fire. He saw Bills
fate.
Here was his enemy, the man ne
hated above all living creatures. and
the blood lust surged through him
like madness. In one wave Of
ecstasy he felt that he was about to
see the gratifcation OF his hatred.
In the hands OF a brave and loyal
man. the rifle Harold carried might
yet have been Bilrs salvation. Yet
Harold didn't lift IL to his shoul-
der
But at that instant aid came from
an unexpected quarter. Virginia re-
membered the pistol at her belt, and
she drew 1t in fash OF blue steel
True and straight she aimed oward
the glowing eyes OF the griza.I
AT the angle that they struck, her
bullets did not penetrate the brain;
but they did give Bill an instant's
reprieve. The bear struck at the
wounds they made. then halted.
bawling. in the snow. His rowing eye
caught sight Of virginla's form.
With a roar he bounded toward her.
The next instant was one Of
drama OF Incredible stress and
movement. For all his mortal
wounds. the short distance between
the bear and the girl seemed to re-
cede with tragic swiftness.
Virginia stood her ground firing
shot after shot into the animals
head Because it was an automatic.
she was able TO send home the loads
IN rapid succession.
But Bill by now had found one OF
the extra shells Harold had given
him.
The grizzly was upon them.
n. I..t
There was no time to raise the
weapon 10 his shoulder. He pointed
1t instinctively toward the gray
throat. And the end Of the barrel
was against the bears flesh as he
pressed the trigger
No human eye could follow the
lightning events OF the next fraction
Of a second. One instant, and the
three figures seemed all together;
Bill crouched with rife held pointed
In his arms. Virginia behind him,
the grizzly full upon them both.
The next. and Harold stood alone
in the snow and the silence--awed,
terrified and estranged. as II in a
dream
Except for three forms that lay
still, half-buried and concealed in
the drifts IL was as IL the adventure
had never occurred.
The bullet had gone true. II had
pierced the animals neck. breaking
the vertebrae Of the spinal column.
and life had gone out OF him as a
flame goes out in the wind.
Bill was the first to move. He had
received only a glancing blow; the
drifts into which he kad fallen we're
soft as pillows. He crawled over to
Virginias side.
He seized her shoulders and shook
her gently.
instantly her eyes opened. Her
fun consciousness returned 10 her
with a rush. She was not scratched.
not even shocked by the fall, and she
reached up quickly for BINS hands.
And instantly, with a laugh on her
lips. she sprang to her feet.
"You killed him ?" she asked.
Bears all dead" he answered
cheerfully.
In the weeks they had been to-
gether. Bill had always been care
ful never to try to show Harold in
a bad light II was simply an ex-
preston of the inherent decency OF
the man. he knew that Virginia
loved him, that she had plighted her
troth to him. and as long as that
love endured and the engagement
stood, be would never try TO shattel
her ideals in regard to him.
But Harold had a sickening and
ghastly fear of the sober query il
Bnrs eys
'Why did you give me an unload
ed gun and tell me it was fun p
Bill demanded. Except for a goos
deal of luck there'd been a smile oi
the face OF the grizzly-but no BIZ
"And by the way, he went on, al
he waited for his reply. II don
remember hearing your gun go Of
during the fray. You might explain
that. too"
Il didn't shoot because l couldn't
Harold replied, earnestly. AT frs
you were between me and the bear
and then Virginia was. II all hap
pened so quickly that there wa
nothing I could do. / can't imag
inc why I forgot 10 reload the riff,
A man can't always remembe
everything Thank God that
didn't turn out any worse than
did"
Bill nodded; the girls face show
ed unspeakable relief. They gati
cred about the grizzly form in tn
snow.
docs this help our food problei
any," Virginia asked