ECHO MOUNTAIN GRIZZLY 243 
The mother rose on her hind feet. Instantly 
the cubs stopped playing and stood up, looking 
silently, seriously at the mother, then at every 
point toward which she gazed. Looking down 
the slope she sniffed and sniffed the air. 
Holding the only remaining and crushed fore- 
paw before her she looked it over intently. It 
was bleeding and one toe—nearly severed— 
hung loosely. The paw appeared to have been 
crushed by a falling rock. With the cubs 
watching her as she licked the wounded foot, 
the hunter made ready and drew bead just be- 
low the ear. 
The shadow of a passing cloud rushed along the 
earth and caused the cubs to cease their serious 
watching of their mother and to follow with 
wondering eyes the ragged-edged shadow skat- 
ing up the slope. The hunter, close enough 
to see the blood dripping from the paw, shifted 
slightly and aimed for the heart. Then, as he 
flung his rifle at a boulder: “TI’ll be darned if 
T’ll kill a crippled mother bear!” 
THE END 
