The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-05-07
Chapter IV-Continucd

BARGE darted to one side and ran
for the open meadow. Wakayoo did
not stir as BARGE sped past him--no
more than if he had been IL bird or a
rabbit Then came another breath of
air. heavy with the scent of man.
This, at last, put life into him. He
turned and began numbering after
Baree into the meadow trap. Baree,
looking back, saw him coming-and
thought it was pursuit. Nepeese and
Pierrot came over the slope. and at
the same instant they saw Wakayoo
and BARGE.
When they entered into the grassy
dip under the rock walls, BARGE turned
sharply to the right. Here was a
great boulder, one end of it tilted up
off the earth. 1t looked like splen-
did hiding place, and Baree crawled
under it.
But Wakayoo kept straight ahead
into the meadow.
From where he lay Baree could see
what happened. Scarcely had he
crawled under the rock when Nepeese
and Pierrot appeared through the
break in the dip, and stopped. The
fact that they stopped thrilled Baree
They were afraid of Wakayoo The
big bear was two-thirds of the way
across the meadow. The sun fell on
him, so his coat shone like black satin.
n: 4; Io ne
killing. Necessity made him con-
servationist But he saw that in spite
of the lateness of the season. Waka-
yoo's coat was splendid-and he raised
his rifle.
Baree saw this action. He saw. a
moment later. something spit from the
end of the gun. and then he heard
that deafening crash that had come
with his own hurt, when the Willows
bullet had burned through his flesh.
He turned his eyes swiftly to Waka-
VOC. The big bear had stumbled; he
was on his knees; and then he strug-
gled up and numbered on.
The roar of the rifle came again,
anu SCCOlu tlIAC w OhOyOo WShI
down. Pierrot could not miss at that
distance. Wakayoo made splendid
mark. It was slaughter; yet for
Pierrot and Nepeese it was business
the business of life.
Baree was shivering. 1t was more
from excitement than fear, for he had
lost his own fear in the tragedy of
these moments. A low whine rose in
his throat as he looked at Wakayoo,
who had risen again and faced his
enemies-his jaws gaping. his head
swinging slowly, his legs weakening
under him as the blood poured through
lis torn lungs. Baree whined-be-
cause Wakayoo had fished for him,
because he had come to look on him
as friend. and because he knew it
was death that Wakayoo was facing
now. There was a third shot-the
last. Wakayoo sank down in his
tracks. His big head dropped be-
tween his forepaws. A racking cough
or two came to Baree. And then there
was silence.
1t was slaughter-but business.
A minute LATER standing over
Wakayoo. Pierrot said to Nepeese:
'NIon Dieu, but it is a fine skin,
Sakahet! 1t is worth twenty dollars
over at Lac Bain!"
He drew forth his knife and began
whetting it on a stone which he car
ried in his pocket. In these minutes
Baree might have crawled out from
under his rock and escaped down the
canyon: for space he was forgotten.
Then Nepeese thought of him, and in
that same strange, wondering voice
she spoke again the word "Baree."
Pierrot, who was kneeling, looked
up at her.
"Oui, Sakahat. He was born Of the
wild And now he is gone"
The Willow shook her head.
'Non. he is not gone" she said. and
her dark eyes Quested the sunlit
meadow.
AS she quested the ragged edges OF
the little meadow for signs of the dog
pup, her thoughts flashed back swiftly.
Two years ago they had buried her
princess mother under the tall spruce
near their cabin. That day Pierrot's