set. He saw tracks, which
had been recently made, all over the soft top ground, for the thaw had
melted the snow that bore the she-bear's tracks and soaked the ground
enough to soften it for half an inch into the frost; here were plainly
seen the marks of great paws as they trampled the area about the trap,
but never came near enough to be caught.

But there was no sign of a bear about. Looking very carefully from right
to left, Mike started back to camp, prepared at the first sound or sign
to shoot.

Mike had almost reached the camp when he heard shouts and cries of
terror. He ran as fast as he could, and found the women and Babs in the
dining-room with doors closed, shouting directions from a partially
opened window. Cookee was at the window of his kitchen waving a pail of
boiling water about. The older children were shut in the office with
faces pressed close against the panes of glass, but Don and Dot were in
his own cabin which had but one small pane of glass let in the front of
the door. The door was closed, but a ponderous shaggy bear stood
snuffling at the crack at the bottom, and uttering, ever and again, the
most terrifying growls.

The people had sought safety wherever they had been caught at the time
the bear marched into the clearing, after following the scent of his
dead mate's body. With nose to the ground he must have been on his way
toward the little shed where the she-bear hung, when a new scent greeted
his nose. He made for Mike's cabin and began to realize that his
children were in there.

Immediately he tore at the wood and demanded in stern tones to be
admitted.

Don and Dot, looking at each other in dismay, peeped out of the window
to behold that most appalling hulk standing at the door!

Mike understood, but he must plan to get a good sure shot at the
maddened bear without hitting the glass in the door.

He crawled noiselessly across half of the clearing to get an aim at the
bear from another vantage-point, but the bear, in his intensity, was all
alert to sound, and heard the almost imperceptible noise the Indian made
on the soft ground.

He turned, and stood glowering at his enemy who was about thirty feet
away. He seemed to know intuitively that this was the man who had ruined
his home, and he stood looking him over from head to foot.

Mike, very slowly, so as not to cause the beast any action, brought his
rifle up to his shoulder, but before he could take aim, the bear sprang
forw