Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-09-29

|
likely to make sudden and unexpected
| charges.
| He was killed at last; and seem
| ingly the southern Oregon grizzlies
were wiped out But 1t is rather easy
| to believe that in some of his wander
| ings he encountered-lost and far in
the deepest heart of the land called
Trails End-a female of his own
breed. There must have been cubs
who, in their turn, mated and fought
and died, and perhaps two generations
after them. And out Of the last brood
had emerged single great male, a
worthy descendant Of his famous an
cestor. This was the Killer, who in
few months since he had left his
| Businesses, was beginning to ruin the
cattle business in Trails End
AS he came growing from his bed
this September evening he was not a
creature to speak of lightly. He was
down on all fOurs, his vast head was
lowered, his huge fangs cleaned in
the dark red mouth. The eyes were
small, and curious little red lights
|
was cross; and he didn't care who
knew it. He was hungry too; but
hunger is an emotion for the beasts
of prey to keep carefully to them
selves
The Killer moved quite softly. One
would have marveled how silently his
great feet fell upon the dry earth and
with what slight sound his heavy
form moved through the thickets. He
moved slowly, cautiously-all the time
mounting farther up the little hill that
rose from the banks of the stream.
He came to an opening in the thicket,
a little brown pathway that vanished
quickly into the shadows of the COW
erts.
The Killer slipped softly into the
heavy brush just at its mouth. 1t was
his ambush. Soon, he knew, some of
the creatures that had bowers in the
heart of the thicket would be coming
along that trail onto the feeding
grounds on the ridge. He had only
to wait
The night wind, rising somewhere in
the region of the snow banks on the
highest mountains, blew down into the
Killers face and brought messages
that no human being may ever receive.
Then his sharp ears heard the sound
of brush cracked softly as some one
OF the larger forest creatures came
up the trail toward him.
The steps drew nearer and the
Killer recognized them. They were
plainly the soft football of some mem
ber of the deer tribe, yet they were
too pronounced to be the step of any
of the lesser deer. The bull elk had
left his bed The red eyes of the
grizzly seemed to glow as he waited
Great though the stag was, only one
little blow of the massive forearm
would be needed. The huge fangs
would have to close down but once
The bear did not move a single tell
tale muscle. He scarcely breathed.
The bull was almost within striking
range now. The wicked red eyes
could already discern the dimmest
shadow Of his outline through the
thickets. But all at once he stopped,
head lifting The Killer knew that the
heard him, and he had made no move
ments that the sharp eyes could de-
tect . Yet the bull was evidently
alarmed. He stood immobile, one foot
lifted nostrils open, head raised
Then, the wind blowing true, the griz-
Fly understood.
A pungent smell reached him from
below-evidently the smell of living
creature that followed the trail along
the stream that flowed through the
glen. He recognized it in an instant.
He had detected it many times, par
ticularly when he went into the
cleared lands to kill cattle 1t was
man. an odor almos. unknown in this
lonely glen. Dave Turner, brother of
Simon, was walking down the stream
toward Hudson's camp.
To the elk this smell was Fear Il
self. He knew-the ways of men only
roo well. Too many times he had
seen members of his herd fall stricken
at IL word from the glittering sticks
they carried in their hands. He ut
tered far-ringing snort.
1t was distinctive sound, begin
ming rather high on the scale as a
loud whistle and descending into a
deep bass bawl. And the Killer knew
perfectly what that sound meant. 1t
was simple way of saying that the
elk would progress no farther down
that trail. The bear leaped in wild
fury.
The bull seemed to leap straight up.
His muscles had been set at his first
alarm from Turner's smell on the
wind, and they drove forth the pow
erful limbs as If by powder explo-
sion. He was full in the air when the
forepaws battered down where he had
been. Then he darted away into the
coverts
The grizzly knew better than to try
to Overtake him. Almost rabid with