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〃But what on earth can we do？〃
〃HEL…LO； DALE！〃 called Bo； at the highest pitch of her
piercing voice。
No answer came。 A heavy crash of brush； a rolling of stones；
another growl from the slope told Helen that the hound had
brought the bear to bay。
〃Nell； I'm going up；〃 said Bo； deliberately。
〃No…no！ Are you mad？〃 returned Helen。
〃The bear will kill Pedro。〃
〃He might kill you。〃
〃You ride that way and yell for Dale；〃 rejoined Bo。
〃What will you do？〃 gasped Helen。
〃I'll shoot at the bear scare him off。 If he chases me he
can't catch me coming downhill。 Dale said that。〃
〃You're crazy！〃 cried Helen； as Bo looked up the slope；
searching for open ground。 Then she pulled the rifle from
its sheath。
But Bo did not hear or did not care。 She spurred the
mustang； and he； wild to run； flung grass and dirt from his
heels。 What Helen would have done then she never knew； but
the fact was that her horse bolted after the mustang。 In an
instant； seemingly； Bo had disappeared in the gold and green
of the forest slope。 Helen's mount climbed on a run；
snorting and heaving； through aspens； brush； and timber； to
come out into a narrow； long opening extending lengthwise up
the slope。
A sudden prolonged crash ahead alarmed Helen and halted her
horse。 She saw a shaking of aspens。 Then a huge brown beast
leaped as a cat out of the woods。 It was a bear of enormous
size。 Helen's heart stopped her tongue clove to the roof
of her mouth。 The bear turned。 His mouth was open； red and
dripping。 He looked shaggy； gray。 He let out a terrible
bawl。 Helen's every muscle froze stiff。 Her horse plunged
high and sidewise； wheeling almost in the air； neighing his
terror。 Like a stone she dropped from the saddle。 She did
not see the horse break into the woods； but she heard him。
Her gaze never left the bear even while she was falling； and
it seemed she alighted in an upright position with her back
against a bush。 It upheld her。 The bear wagged his huge head
from side to side。 Then； as the hound barked close at hand；
he turned to run heavily uphill and out of the opening。
The instant of his disappearance was one of collapse for
Helen。 Frozen with horror； she had been unable to move or
feel or think。 All at once she was a quivering mass of cold；
helpless flesh； wet with perspiration； sick with a
shuddering； retching； internal convulsion； her mind
liberated from paralyzing shock。 The moment was as horrible
as that in which the bear had bawled his frightful rage。 A
stark； icy； black emotion seemed in possession of her。 She
could not lift a hand； yet all of her body appeared shaking。
There was a fluttering； a strangling in her throat。 The
crushing weight that surrounded her heart eased before she
recovered use of her limbs。 Then； the naked and terrible
thing was gone； like a nightmare giving way to
consciousness。 What blessed relief！ Helen wildly gazed about
her。 The bear and hound were out of sight； and so was her
horse。 She stood up very dizzy and weak。 Thought of Bo then
seemed to revive her； to shock different life and feeling
throughout all her cold extremities。 She listened。
She heard a thudding of hoofs down the slope； then Dale's
clear； strong call。 She answered。 It appeared long before he
burst out of the woods； riding hard and leading her horse。
In that time she recovered fully； and when he reached her；
to put a sudden halt upon the fiery Ranger； she caught the
bridle he threw and swiftly mounted her horse。 The feel of
the saddle seemed different。 Dale's piercing gray glance
thrilled her strangely。
〃You're white。 Are you hurt？〃 he said。
〃No。 I was scared。〃
〃But he threw you？〃
〃Yes； he certainly threw me。〃
〃What happened？〃
〃We heard the hound and we rode along the timber。 Then we
saw the bear a monster white coated 〃
〃I know。 It's a grizzly。 He killed the colt your pet。
Hurry now。 What about Bo？〃
〃Pedro was fighting the bear。 Bo said he'd be killed。 She
rode right up here。 My horse followed。 I couldn't have
stopped him。 But we lost Bo。 Right there the bear came out。
He roared。 My horse threw me and ran off。 Pedro's barking
saved me my life； I think。 Oh！ that was awful！ Then the
bear went up there。 。 。 。 And you came。〃
〃Bo's followin' the hound！〃 ejaculated Dale。 And； lifting
his hands to his mouth； he sent out a stentorian yell that
rolled up the slope； rang against the cliffs； pealed and
broke and died away。 Then he waited； listening。 From far up
the slope came a faint； wild cry； high…pitched and sweet； to
create strange echoes； floating away to die in the ravines。
〃She's after him！〃 declared Dale； grimly。
〃Bo's got your rifle；〃 said Helen。 〃Oh； we must hurry。〃
〃You go back；〃 ordered Dale； wheeling his horse。
〃No！〃 Helen felt that word leave her lips with the force of
a bullet。
Dale spurred Ranger and took to the open slope。 Helen kept
at his heels until timber was reached。 Here a steep trail
led up。 Dale dismounted。
〃Horse tracks bear tracks dog tracks；〃 he said；
bending over。 〃We'll have to walk up here。 It'll save our
horses an' maybe time； too。〃
〃Is Bo riding up there？〃 asked Helen； eying the steep
ascent。
〃She sure is。〃 With that Dale started up； leading his horse。
Helen followed。 It was rough and hard work。 She was lightly
clad； yet soon she was hot； laboring； and her heart began to
hurt。 When Dale halted to rest Helen was just ready to drop。
The baying of the hound； though infrequent； inspirited her。
But presently that sound was lost。 Dale said bear and hound
had gone over the ridge and as soon as the top was gained he
would hear them again。
〃Look there；〃 he said； presently； pointing to fresh tracks；
larger than those made by Bo's mustang。 〃Elk tracks。 We've
scared a big bull an' he's right ahead of us。 Look sharp an'
you'll see him。〃
Helen never climbed so hard and fast before； and when they
reached the ridge…top she was all tuckered out。 It was all
she could do to get on her horse。 Dale led along the crest
of this wooded ridge toward the western end； which was
considerably higher。 In places open rocky ground split the
green timber。 Dale pointed toward a promontory。
Helen saw a splendid elk silhouetted against the sky。 He was
a light gray over all his hindquarters； with shoulders and
head black。 His ponderous； wide…spread antlers towered over
him； adding to the wildness of his magnificent poise as he
stood there； looking down into the valley； no doubt
listening for the bay of the hound。 When he heard Dale's
horse he gave one bound； gracefully and wonderfully carrying
his antlers； to disappear in the green。
Again on a bare patch of ground Dale pointed down。 Helen saw
big round tracks； toeing in a little； that gave her a chill。
She knew these were grizzly tracks。
Hard riding was not possible on this ridge crest； a fact
that gave Helen time to catch her breath。 At length； coming
out upon the very summit of the mountain； Dale heard the
hound。 Helen's eyes feasted afar upon a wild scene of rugged
grandeur； before she looked down on this western slope at
her feet to see ba