Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-11-17


for he knew that for months past he
had been putting away stores for just
this season. In the SHOWS that would
follow he would simply retire into the
farthest recesses of his burrow and
let the winds whistle yainly above
him.
The larger creatures, however, were
less complacent. The wolyes-if ami
mails have any powers Of foresight
whateyer-knew that only hard days,
not luscious nuts and roots, were In
store for them. There would be many
days OF hunger once the snow came
over the land. The black bear saw
the signs and began desperate effort
TO lay up as many extra pounds OF
fat as possible before the SHOWS broke.
He would have need of the extra flesh.
The time was coming when all sources
of food would be cut off by the SHOWS,
and he would have to seek the security
Of Information. He had already chos-
en- an underground abode for himself
and there he could doze away In the
cOld-trance through the winter months,
subsisting on the supplies of fat that
he had stored next TO his furry hide
The greatest of all the bears, the
Killer, knew that some such fate
awaited him also. But he looked for
ward to it with wretched spirit. He
was master of the forest, and perhaps
he did not like to yield even to the
spirit of winter. His savagery grew
upon him every day, and his dislike
for men had turned to a veritable
hatred. But he had found them out.
When he crossed their trails again,
he would not wait TO stalk. They were
apt to slip away from him in this case
and sting him Numerically with bull
lets. The thing to do was charge
quickly and strike with all his power.
The three minor wounds he had re-
ceiyed-two from pistol bullets and
one from Bruce's rifi,-had not lessened
his strength at all. They did, how
ever, serve to keep his blood-heat at
the explosive stage most Of the day
and night
The flowers and the grasses were dy
| ing; the moths that paid calls on the
flowers had laid their eggs and had
persisted, and winter lurked-ready to
pounce forth-just beyond the distant
mountains. There Is nothing so
thoroughly unreliable as the mountain
autumn 1t may linger in enhancing
Colds and browns month after month,
until it Is almost time for spring TO
come again; and again 1t may make
one short bow and usher in the winter.
To Bruce and Linda, in the old Fol-
! ger home In Trails End, these fall
| days offered the last hope of success
In their war against the Turner's.
The adventure In the pasture with
the Killer had handicapped them to
an unIooked-for degree. Bruce's
muscles had been severely strained
by the bonds; several days had
elapsed before he regained their full
use. Linda was a mountain girl,
| hardy as q deer, yet her nerves had
suffered a greater shock by the ex-
perience than either Of them had
guessed. The wild ride, the fear and
| The stress, and most Of all the base
blow that Simon had dealt her had
been too much even for her strong
constitution; and she had been obliged
| to 90 to bed for a few days of rest.
| Old Elmira worked about the house
the same as ever, but strange, new
lights were in her eyes. For reasons
that went down to the roots Of things,
neither Bruce nor Linda questioned
her as to her scene with Dave Turner
in the coverts; and what thoughts
dwelt in her aged mind neither of
them could guess.
The truth was that In these short
weeks of trial and danger whatever
dreadful events had come to pass in
that meeting were worth neither
Thought nor words. Beth Bruce and |
Linda were down TO essentials IL is |
descent that most human beings
some time in their liyes-hnd they are
able TO make; and there was no room
for sentimentality or hysteria ID this \
grim household. The ideas, the soft
nesses. the laws of the valleys were
far away from them; they were face
80 face with realities. Their code had
hecome the basic code Of life; 10 XII
for self.protection without mercy or
rem0rse
They did not know when the Turner'S
would attack II was the dark 81 me
moan and the men would be able 70
apDroach the house without present
M themselves as targets for bruees
ride The danger Was NOT 'nNns on
which 10 conjecture ana io's.,l :
Was sn eger-preseni feall,y' Ns,''
~. stennea out ~ me door, never
,'s, erossed lighted window. never
49, fans miiled hi me wind bnt thal
~ wings hi peafh mlshi ha'e been
s.,.r,ns over fhfm lhf dass Aefs
"s..'ne ihe dafe Nha ille chance i9'
...r. oonld uuanl Vanish NHs pa
..a, n hand ana t|Hi Nffe hHhH''4
,hs .urdy ua lhH ihef y NpN
tf.... ln m h flf'e ii''if 'f''i