Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-10-06

limb Of a tree, and the weapon fell
from his hands as he swung up into
the limb. The fact that Hudson stood
weaponless, ten feet away in the clear
Ing, did not deter him in the least
No human flesh could stand against
that charge. The vast paw fell with
resistless force; and no need arose for
a second blow. The trapper's body
was struck down as if felled by
meteor, and the power of the impact
forced it deep into the carpet Of pine
needles. The savage creature turned,
the white fangs caught the light in the
open mouth The head lunged toward
the mans shoulder.
No man may say what agony Hud-
son would have endured in the last
few seconds of his life if the Killer
had been given time and opportunity.
His usual way was to linger long,
sharp fangs closing again and again
until all living likeness was destroyed.
The blood lust was upon him; there
would have been no mercy to the dy-
ing creature in the pine needles. Yet
1t transpired that Hudson's flesh was
not to know those rending fangs a
second time.
On the hillside above, a stranger to
this land had dropped to his knee in
the shrubbery, his rifle lifted to the
level of his eyes. 1t was Bruce, who
had come in time to see the charge
throuoh q riff in the trees.
The bear was on Hudson, and the
man had gone down, before Bruce
even interpreted him. Then it was
just a gray patch, full three hundred
yards away His instinct was to throw
the gun to his shoulder and fire with
out aiming: yet he conquered it with
IN iron VII But he did move quickly.
He dropped to his knee the very Sec
ond that the gun leaped to his shoul-
der. He seemed to know that from
lower position the target would be
more clearly revealed. The finger
pressed back against the trigger.
The distance was far; Bruce was
not practiced rife shot, and it bor-
dered on the miraculous that his lead
went anywhere near the bears body.
And it was true that the bullet did
not reach a vital place. 1t Stung like
a wasp at the Killers flank, however,
cutting a shallow flesh wound. But it
was enough to take his dreadful atten-
tion from the mortally wounded trap
per in the pine needles.
Ha ipln ah 0rnUlinO flIriOl1S-
ly and biting at the wound. Then he
stood still, turning his gaze first to the
pale face of Dave Turner thirty feet
above him in the pine. The eyes glowed
in fury and hatred. He had found
men out at last; they died even more
easily than the fawn He started to
turn back to the fallen, and the rifle
spoke again.
1t was a complete miss, this time;
yet the bear leaped in fear when the
bullet thwacked into the dust beside
him. He did not wait for a third. His
caution suddenly returning to him,
and perhaps his anger somewhat Sati-
ated by the blow he had dealt Hudson,
he crashed into the security of the
thicket.
Bruce waited a single instant, hop
ing for another glimpse of the crea-
ture; then ran down to aid Hudson.
But in driving the bear from the trap
per's helpless body he had already
given all the aid that he could. I'm
derstanding came quickly. He had
arrived only in time for the Depar-
ture-just glimpse of a light as it
faded. The blow had been more than
any human being could survive; even
now Hudson was entering upon that
strange calm which often, so .merci-
fully, Immediately precedes death.
He opened his eyes and looked with
some wonder into Bruce's face. The