the risk of meeting there the dreadful
foe. He limped painfully along the north bank of the Piney, keeping in the
hollows and among the trees. He tried to climb a cliff that of old he had
often bounded up at full speed. When half-way up his footing gave way, and
down he rolled to the bottom. A long way round was now the only road, for
onward he must go--on--on. But where? There seemed no choice now but to
abandon the whole range to the terrible stranger.

[Illustration]

And feeling, as far as a Bear can feel, that he is fallen, defeated,
dethroned at last, that he is driven from his ancient range by a Bear too
strong for him to face, he turned up the west fork, and the lot was drawn.
The strength and speed were gone from his once mighty limbs; he took three
times as long as he once would to mount each well-known ridge, and as he
went he glanced backward from time to time to know if he were pursued. Away
up the head of the little branch were the Shoshones, bleak, forbidding; no
enemies were there, and the Park was beyond it all--on, on he must go. But
as he climbed with shaky limbs, and short uncertain steps, the west wind
brought the odor of Death Gulch, that fearful little valley where
everything was dead, where the very air was deadly. It used to disgust him
and drive him away, but now Wahb felt that it had a message for him; he was
drawn by it. It was in his line of flight, and he hobbled slowly toward
the place. He went nearer, nearer, until he stood upon the entering ledge.
A Vulture that had descended to feed on one of the victims was slowly going
to sleep on the untouched carcass. Wahb swung his great grizzled muzzle and
his long white beard in the wind. The odor that he once had hated was
attractive now. There was a strange biting quality in the air. His body
craved it. For it seemed to numb his pain and it promised sleep, as it did
that day when first he saw the place.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Far below him, to the right and to the left and on and on as far as the eye
could reach, was the great kingdom that once had been his: where he had
lived for years in the glory of his strength; where none had dared to meet
him face to face. The whole earth could show no view more beautiful. But
Wahb had no thought of its beauty; he only knew that it was a good land to
live in; that it had been his, but that now it was gone, for his strength
was gone, and he was flying to seek a place where he coul