t in time to receive the
raging charge of old "Spotty," who had heard her youngster's call.

The bear had no time to dodge or fend this onslaught, but only to
brace himself. The cow's horns, unfortunately, were short and
wide-spreading. She caught him full in the chest, with the force of a
battering-ram, and would have hurled him backwards but that his mighty
claws and forearms, at the same instant, secured a deadly clutch upon
her shoulders. She bore him backward against the trunk indeed, but
there he recovered himself; and when she strove to withdraw for
another battering charge, she could not tear herself free. Foiled in
these tactics, she lunged forward with all her strength, again and
again, bellowing madly, and endeavouring to crush out her enemy's
breath against the tree. And the bear, grunting, growling, and
whining, held her fast while he tore at her with his deadly claws.

Too much excited to think any longer of flight, Melindy stood upon the
fallen trunk and breathlessly watched the battle. In a few moments she
realized that old "Spotty" was getting the worst of it; and upon this
her courage once more returned. Running down the great log as close as
she dared, she swung up her axe, and paused for an opening. She was
just about to strike, when a well-known voice arrested her, and she
jumped back.

"Git out of the way, Child," it commanded, piercing the turmoil. "Git
out of the way an' let me shoot!"

The crippled old woman, too, had heard the cry of her young. When that
scream of Melindy's cleft the evening air, Mrs. Griffis had shot out
of her chair as if she had never heard of rheumatism. She did not know
anything hurt her. At the summons of this imperious need her old
vigour all came back. Snatching up the big duck-gun from the corner,
where it stood always loaded and ready, she went across the pasture
and through the laurel patches at a pace almost worthy of Melindy
herself. When she plunged through the bushes into the hollow, and saw
the situation, her iron will steadied her nerves to meet the crisis.

The instant Melindy had jumped out of the way Mrs. Griffis ran close
up to the combatants. The bear was being kept too busy to spare her
any attention whatever. Coolly setting the muzzle of the big gun
(which was loaded with buckshot) close to the beast's side, just
behind the fore-shoulder, she pulled the trigger. There was a roar
that filled the hollow like the firing of a cannon, and the bear
colla