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Helen； and breathing quick and fast。
〃A…huh！〃 muttered Dale； under his breath。
Helen caught the relief and certainty in his exclamation；
and she divined； then； something of what the moment must
have been to a hunter。
Then her roving； alert glance was arrested by a looming gray
shadow coming out of the forest。 It moved； but surely that
huge thing could not be a bear。 It passed out of gloom into
silver moonlight。 Helen's heart bounded。 For it was a great
frosty…coated bear lumbering along toward the dead horse。
Instinctively Helen's hand sought the arm of the hunter。 It
felt like iron under a rippling surface。 The touch eased
away the oppression over her lungs； the tightness of her
throat。 What must have been fear left her； and only a
powerful excitement remained。 A sharp expulsion of breath
from Bo and a violent jerk of her frame were signs that she
had sighted the grizzly。
In the moonlight he looked of immense size； and that wild
park with the gloomy blackness of forest furnished a fit
setting for him。 Helen's quick mind； so taken up with
emotion； still had a thought for the wonder and the meaning
of that scene。 She wanted the bear killed； yet that seemed a
pity。
He had a wagging； rolling； slow walk which took several
moments to reach his quarry。 When at length he reached it he
walked around with sniffs plainly heard and then a cross
growl。 Evidently he had discovered that his meal had been
messed over。 As a whole the big bear could be seen
distinctly； but only in outline and color。 The distance was
perhaps two hundred yards。 Then it looked as if he had begun
to tug at the carcass。 Indeed； he was dragging it； very
slowly； but surely。
〃Look at that！〃 whispered Dale。 〃If he ain't strong！ 。 。 。
Reckon I'll have to stop him。〃
The grizzly； however； stopped of his own accord； just
outside of the shadow…line of the forest。 Then he hunched in
a big frosty heap over his prey and began to tear and rend。
〃Jess was a mighty good horse；〃 muttered Dale； grimly； 〃too
good to make a meal for a hog silvertip。〃
Then the hunter silently rose to a kneeling position；
swinging the rifle in front of him。 He glanced up into the
low branches of the tree overhead。
〃Girls； there's no tellin' what a grizzly will do。 If I
yell； you climb up in this tree； an' do it quick。〃
With that he leveled the rifle； resting his left elbow on
his knee。 The front end of the rifle； reaching out of the
shade； shone silver in the moonlight。 Man and weapon became
still as stone。 Helen held her breath。 But Dale relaxed；
lowering the barrel。
〃Can't see the sights very well；〃 he whispered； shaking his
head。 〃Remember； now if I yell you climb！〃
Again he aimed and slowly grew rigid。 Helen could not take
her fascinated eyes off him。 He knelt； bareheaded； and in
the shadow she could make out the gleam of his clear…cut
profile； stern and cold。
A streak of fire and a heavy report startled her。 Then she
heard the bullet hit。 Shifting her glance； she saw the bear
lurch with convulsive action； rearing on his hind legs。 Loud
clicking snaps must have been a clashing of his jaws in
rage。 But there was no other sound。 Then again Dale's heavy
gun boomed。 Helen heard again that singular spatting thud of
striking lead。 The bear went down with a flop as if he had
been dealt a terrific blow。 But just as quickly he was up on
all…fours and began to whirl with hoarse； savage bawls of
agony and fury。 His action quickly carried him out of the
moonlight into the shadow； where he disappeared。 There the
bawls gave place to gnashing snarls； and crashings in the
brush； and snapping of branches； as he made his way into the
forest。
〃Sure he's mad；〃 said Dale； rising to his feet。 〃An' I
reckon hard hit。 But I won't follow him to…night。〃
Both the girls got up； and Helen found she was shaky on her
feet and very cold。
〃Oh…h； wasn't it won…wonder…ful！〃 cried Bo。
〃Are you scared？ Your teeth are chatterin'；〃 queried Dale。
〃I'm cold。〃
〃Well； it sure is cold； all right；〃 he responded。 〃Now the
fun's over； you'll feel it。 。 。 。 Nell； you're froze； too？〃
Helen nodded。 She was； indeed； as cold as she had ever been
before。 But that did not prevent a strange warmness along
her veins and a quickened pulse； the cause of which she did
not conjecture。
〃Let's rustle；〃 said Dale； and led the way out of the wood
and skirted its edge around to the slope。 There they climbed
to the flat； and went through the straggling line of trees
to where the horses were tethered。
Up here the wind began to blow； not hard through the forest；
but still strong and steady out in the open； and bitterly
cold。 Dale helped Bo to mount； and then Helen。
〃I'm numb；〃 she said。 〃I'll fall off sure。〃
〃No。 You'll be warm in a jiffy；〃 he replied； 〃because we'll
ride some goin' back。 Let Ranger pick the way an' you hang
on。〃
With Ranger's first jump Helen's blood began to run。 Out he
shot； his lean； dark head beside Dale's horse。 The wild park
lay clear and bright in the moonlight； with strange； silvery
radiance on the grass。 The patches of timber； like spired
black islands in a moon…blanched lake； seemed to harbor
shadows； and places for bears to hide； ready to spring out。
As Helen neared each little grove her pulses shook and her
heart beat。 Half a mile of rapid riding burned out the cold。
And all seemed glorious the sailing moon； white in a
dark…blue sky； the white； passionless stars； so solemn； so
far away； the beckoning fringe of forest…land at once
mysterious and friendly； and the fleet horses； running with
soft； rhythmic thuds over the grass； leaping the ditches and
the hollows； making the bitter wind sting and cut。 Coming up
that park the ride had been long； going back was as short as
it was thrilling。 In Helen； experiences gathered realization
slowly； and it was this swift ride； the horses neck and
neck； and all the wildness and beauty； that completed the
slow； insidious work of years。 The tears of excitement froze
on her cheeks and her heart heaved full。 All that pertained
to this night got into her blood。 It was only to feel； to
live now； but it could be understood and remembered forever
afterward。
Dale's horse； a little in advance； sailed over a ditch。
Ranger made a splendid leap； but he alighted among some
grassy tufts and fell。 Helen shot over his head。 She struck
lengthwise； her arms stretched； and slid hard to a shocking
impact that stunned her。
Bo's scream rang in her ears； she felt the wet grass under
her face and then the strong hands that lifted her。 Dale
loomed over her； bending down to look into her face； Bo was
clutching her with frantic hands。 And Helen could only gasp。
Her breast seemed caved in。 The need to breathe was torture。
〃Nell！ you're not hurt。 You fell light； like a feather。
All grass here。 。 。 。 You can't be hurt！〃 said Dale；
sharply。
His anxious voice penetrated beyond her hearing； and his
strong hands went swiftly over her arms and shoulders；
feeling for broken bones。
〃Just had the wind knocked out of you；〃 went on Dale。 It
feels awful； but it's nothin'。〃
Hel