178 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



valley, but he did not go out to make any investigation. It 

 is not easy for a grizzly bear to catch a young, active steer 

 or heifer in a fair race it could be done by wolves, but 

 wolves would not be very likely to come so near the buildings 

 for that purpose, while a mountain lion would probably lie 

 concealed and spring upon its prey, taking it unawares. Mr. 

 Mason, thinking that probably the cattle could take care of 

 themselves, did not go out to look after them until morning. 

 In the morning he found one of the oxen mired down in the 

 creek under the bridge. Three or four bridge planks had 

 been torn up and pushed to one side, and some animal, stand- 

 ing on the bridge, had made a meal off the back of the ox, 

 literally eating him alive. The ox, though almost dead, was 

 still breathing when found. Of course, it was a grizzly bear, 

 as no other wild animal had half strength enough to tear 

 up the planks of the bridge, in order to get at the ox. The 

 ox, when chased in the night, evidently not being able to out- 

 run the bear, had taken refuge under the bridge, and the 

 bear, by the use of his immense strength, tore off the bridge 

 planks and, thus, easily getting at his helpless prey, partook 

 of his supper at leisure. 



It was thought that the bear would be likely to return 

 the next night for another meal, and it was determined to lie 

 in wait for him. Accordingly Mr. Mason sent for Sam 

 Coe to help him as he watched for the bear the next night. 



Sam Coe is an Antelope county product, having been 

 raised to manhood in the Grecian Bend neighborhood, but 

 at the time these things happened he was living with his 

 father's family only a few miles from Mason's sawmill. Sam 

 was, and still is, a crack shot and an expert hunter, having 

 more than a local reputation in that line throughout the 

 Black Hills country. 



But the bear did not come back, or if he did, he took 

 their scent and made off without showing himself. The 



