Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-15

playing bear cub usually has mother
in the neighbOrhood This, he knew,
was the habitat of the grizzly, and
she grizzlies are short of temper
where their young are concerned.
1t was no place for man without
game rife. His best move would be
not to press forward, but to drop
quietly back along the path he had
broken through the underbrush. In
retreat like that, he remembered. 1t
was a rule of the woods not to turn.
but to back away until free of his un-
disclosed enemy.
But on the third slow step in re-
treat he froze in his tracks. For
directly in front of him, above the
bushes, doomed startlingly tall and
shaggy shadow; a shadow of brownlsh
yellow with prodigiously wide Shout
ders and head that looked too small
for the great body it crowned. He
knew. even before he saw the pointed
snout and the triangulated small ears.
that it was she-grizzly. He recalled
stores of such a brute's strength. how
it could break buffalo's back with
one stroke of its paw. how it could
drag thousand pound wapiti into a
cave to feed on at leisure.
Every natural instinct. before such
an enemy. was along the line of flight,
prompt flight. But Fillmore knew
better than to turn and run. That
would only seal the issue and bring
the poised shadow down on him. In
three bounds the great limbs could
have overtaken anything on two legs.
Once that brownish yellow mass
Numbered down on him through the
intervening sprinkling of brush. he
would be utterly helpless before it.
And he could see by the bristling ruff
above the great neck that his enemy
was ready for action.
Ills small cry of protest. in the face
of his helplessness. was an involuntary
one. But it was cut short by an
answering cry close beside him.
He saw Wanda's quick leap to the
rock ledge almost at his elbow. She
had the rife in her hands and indig-
nation in her eye.
Get backr' Fillmore shouted, con-
scious of her peril.
II won'tr' was her defiant cry.
you can't bully me-"
Get back," he repeated, waiting for
the furred avalanche that was destined
to come crashing down on them. 81
can take it. Save yourself. Go back"
II won't" she repeated.
Fillmore. watching the impending
avalanche, had no means of deCipher-
ing her movements. He merely stiff
fened and stood there, proffering his
body as flimsy barrie. between death
and the woman he was willing to die
for. What she called out to him he
never knew. For that cry seemed to
merge into furry of reports. as sharp
as hammer blows.
A spraying brown body. tumbling
between them, rolled over against
rock, where it quivered for a moment
and then lay still.
Fillmore stood motionless for long
time, recognizing his world. Then he
pushed his way through the brush to
his wife's side His hands were I'M
steady as he took the rifle away from
her How dare you" he weakly de-
handed, take chance like that?"
There was touch OF Re theatrical
in her composure as she smiled and
brushed back her hair. rs that all |
get for saving your life" she quietly
inquired.
Fillmore took deep breath. "You
saved it, all right. But why?'
Because | won't be bullied.' was
her answer, ''even by bear
But she crept closer to him and
clasped her arms about his shaking
body.
Darling, don't be mean to me"