das
withstanding the Persians at Thermopylae. There was something grand in
the way that big bear faced Dick. I shall always admire him for it as
long as I live. I rather believe he was glad to die as Leonidas and
Roland were--secure in the thought that his spirit could never be
overcome.

"'William turned his back as Dick raised the big gun, and made ready
to shoot. Then he said something about seeing to the horses, and
hurried down the trail. Mary joined Vivian in the thicket, and so did
I. I couldn't help it. We turned our backs, too, and stopped our ears
with our fingers. Virginia was the only one who stayed. She stood by
Dick as he aimed and shot. Afterward she told me she would have felt
mean to desert a hero whose spirit was just about to be taken away
from him. She wanted to pay her last respects. But I know it wasn't
easy, for when we all came tremblingly back a few minutes after Dick
had shot, her eyes were brimful of tears.

"'Then William, too, returned, leading Siwash, and together he and
Dick hoisted the big bear across Siwash's saddle, binding him
securely with the rope. After the horses had become satisfied that
there was no occasion for alarm, William led Siwash at the head of a
triumphal procession, and the rest of us followed, Vivian on
William's Ginger. Down the trail we went, unconscious of scratches
and aches and sunburn, now that our aim had been accomplished, and
our goal realized. The awful feeling of pity which we had felt by the
creek went away somewhere, and we were but victors holding a
triumph.

"'Virginia and I wondered as we rode along together why it is that
you can feel so full of pity one moment at the thought of killing
something, and yet so full of triumph the next after you've conquered
and killed it. We've decided that the triumphant feeling is something
bequeathed to us by the cave-men like those in _The Story of Ab_ you
know--an instinct that makes you want to prove yourself master; and
that the pity is a sign we're all growing better instead of worse.
Don't you think that's a fairly good explanation? Of course it is
needless to say that Virginia thought it out!

"'Hannah's calling me to supper, and I must hurry. Mr. Hunter and the
boys had just reached home from Willow Creek as we rode down the
lane. I wish you could have seen Jack and Carver when they saw the
bear. They were wild, and hailed us as t