zed to move, but Jack grasped her roughly by the shoulder,
turned her about and shouted, hoarsely, "Run!" then made another blow at
the scrambling animal. She reeled for a moment, then gathered herself
together and ran like a scared doe. As she ran she screamed--about one
scream to each five yards, as carefully estimated by the young man at a
future period.

Despite her terror, the girl turned at a distance of a hundred yards,
stopped and looked backward for an instant, and saw what was certainly
an interesting spectacle, but which made her turn again and flee even
more swiftly down the pathway, renewing her cries as she sped.

Affairs were becoming more than interesting for Mr. Jack Hayes. It may
be said fairly and honestly of him, left facing that bear, gaunt and
ugly and flesh-clamoring from the winter's sleep, though still muscular
and enduring--as bears are made--that he demeaned himself as should
become a modern gentleman. He could not or would not run away. He knew
that the beast must not be released, and knew that unless faced it would
clamber in a moment to the level surface.

I have read somewhere, as doubtless have you, because it has wandered
throughout the newspapers of the world, the story of a famous Russian
officer, famous, too, as a great swordsman, who once faced a brown bear
robbed of her young, and beat her into insensibility, since his blows
were swifter and more adroit than those delivered by her great forearms.
In the midst of the battle, some thought of this hard Russian tale
drifted through the mind of Hayes, as he dealt blow after blow upon the
muzzle of the brute seeking daylight and vengeance upon its opponent.
Each time as the bear upreared, the stout limb descended, but
apparently with slight effect, and with each rush and tearing down of
matted snow and twigs, the angle of ascent was lessening perceptibly. To
say that Jack was exceedingly earnest and anxious would not be to
exaggerate a particle. Furthermore, he was becoming warm and scant of
breath. A portion of the breath which remained to him he utilized in
whooping most lustily.

The girl burst into the great front room of the log house, where the
preparations for Easter were in progress. Most of the guests had not yet
reached the house, but there were the rector and two ladies. She
staggered into the room, but partially recovered from the effect of her
wild flight, and could only gasp out, "Jack!--a bear!--a little way up
the east