ad directly on the base of the ear,
where the side bones of a bear's head are flatter and thinner, directly
alongside the brain. The vicious crack of the rifle sounded loud there
in the thicket; but there came no answer in response to it save a
crashing and slipping and a breaking down of the bushes as the vast
carcass fell at full length. The little ball had done its work and found
the brain.

I knew the bear was dead, but for a time did not venture closely. I
looked about and saw the girl slowly rising on her elbow, her face
uncovered now, but white in terror. I motioned for her to lie still, and
having reloaded, I pushed quietly through the undergrowth. I saw a vast
gray, grizzled heap lying there, shapeless, motionless. Then I shouted
aloud and went back and picked her up and carried her through the broken
thicket, and placed her on the dead body of the grizzly, seating myself
at her side.

We were two savages, successful now in the chase--successful, indeed, in
winning the capital prize of all savages; for few Indians will attack
the grizzly if it can be avoided. She laid her hand wonderingly upon the
barrel of the rifle, looking at it curiously, that it had been so deadly
as to slay a creature so vast as this. Then she leaned contentedly
against my side, and so we sat there for a time. "John Cowles," she
said, "you are brave. You are very much a man. I am not afraid when you
are with me." I put my arm about her. The world seemed wild and fair and
sweet to me. Life, savage, stern, swept through all my veins.

The skinning of the bear was a task of some moment, and as we did this
we exulted that we would now have so fine a robe. The coarse meat we
could not use, but the fat I took off in flakes and strips, and hung
upon the bushes around us for later carrying into camp. In this work she
assisted me, hobbling about as best she might.

We were busy at this, both of us greasy and bloody to our elbows, when
all at once we stopped and looked at each other in silence. We had heard
a sound. To me it sounded like a rifle shot. We listened. It came again,
with others. There was a volley of several shots, sounds certain beyond
any manner of question.

My heart stopped. She looked at me, some strange thought written upon
her face. It was not joy, nor exultation, nor relief. Her eyes were
large and startled. There was no smile on her face. These things I
noted. I caught her bloody hand in my bloody one, and for an instant