ftattiaUl 83, 1881.] 



FORKST AND STREAM, 



405 



iable Busurrus which precedes the thrill of awaking 



stars were losing their fiery lustre, and now shone 

 with a pale glow, like the "brightening" on thflBurfaee oi 

 molten silvei Slowlj thej laded, (me by one, slipping 

 out quietly, like leaser beauties from, a hall xOOUi, til) only 

 Venus, Mars and Sirius were left. These BfcfU shone M in 

 regal splendor, till they, too, yielding to r power greater 

 than their own, scornfully yet gracefully Withdrew from the 

 ii contest, overpowered but sot subdued— as tin 1 

 haughty Maria Theresa burned her back upon the Magyar 

 Diet. Over beyond Waluta. the olive of the sky changed 

 to ii steely gray— then to e. faint, pink, such aa tints the petals 

 of the wild sweet-brier, and then to a roseate blush which 

 climbed higher and higher, till the whole Eastern firmament 

 glowed with Tyrian splendor. 



" over grass came tuai Strange HuStt, andovBr ling ami heather, 



Anueai i tcJondlet crossing, ChUtea like a scarlet feather 



Tom ttomtheti i ft tag lot cl aid . t ilo e 11ib< i a tow a. 



On the rock-slide opposite, the conies came out to greet 

 the dawn— a yellow butterfly floated past on noiseless wing- 

 in the spruce woods below, a. Canada jay pitched the note for 

 a raucous chorus which split the silence of the hills— and 

 the night, with its sweet silence, was gone, and " jocund 

 Day stood tiptoe on the misty mouataiu-tops. 1 ' 



Taking my glasses from their cise, I swept the hill-side 

 opposite— distant a mile as the crow flies — three, for the 

 prowling lux. No sign of life among the rocks, unless — the 

 circling glass is arrested for a moment, and — yes, that brown 

 spot in the lee of yonder porphyry boulder, proves to be Ig- 

 notus, keeping faithful watch. But what Las become of our 

 expected prey ? He surely must have quit his banquet of 

 Bucculont roots ere this, for the Sun god's chariot has fairly 

 left the galcsof Aurora, and his couriers are, stretching away, 

 in the full burst of their speed, toward tLeir Hesperian 

 goal. 



Confound Slippery Dick, anyway 1 He's fooled us, as 

 usual, and when the flutter of a white handkerchief from 

 across the canyon, signa's that the watch is over, I rise from 

 my rocky lair, and, stiff, cold, hungry and cross, join Ig- 

 notus in the valley below. By mutual consent, we turn our 

 steps toward the parsnip bed, to see if Dick has breakfasted. 

 Yes ; the trampled stems, the debris of rejected tubers, and 

 the freshly turned soil, steaming in the morning sun, pro- 

 claim his recent presence. Gone, but where? AVe give it 

 up, as an uuguessable eonuudrum, and start to camp, for 

 breakfast and a nap. 



A brisk walk of ten minutes brings us in sight of the 

 clump of trees where camp is pitched, but where is the 

 tent ? 



A hundred yards further, and from Ignotus' lips breathes 

 forth softly, the half sung question — "Who's been here, since 

 I've been gone V" The.teor is down and torn to ribbons — the 

 flour sacks rent from" top to bottom and their contents 

 strewed "upon the ground — the mesa-chest overturned— sugar 

 and bacon missing — aud a wild conglomerate of canned 

 goods, plates, cups, knives and forks, blankets, spare socks 

 and shirts, coffee pots and frying pans, and a huudred odds 

 and ends of camp impedimenta scattered about in every di- 

 rection. Has a. nitro-glycerine factory exploded here, or an 

 East Indian typhoon dropped down upon us? 



A single word breaks from my comrade, but it is as ex- 

 pressive as all of Garcilasso's seven hundred and twenty- 

 nine volumes. It is simply the name of that place which 

 Bob Ingersoll and the Revised Version both ignore, but the 

 Anathema Maranatha of Holy Church conveys not more 

 weight of objurgation with it, than that one monosyllable. 

 Turning, I see him gazing intently at something on the 

 border of the stream, and, joining him, I recoguize, at a 

 glance, the cause of his outburst. There it lies, in Ihe marshy 

 ground before us ; a track, huge, uncouth, groteseptely hu- 

 man, broad as the two hands, and as long as from the ulnar 

 condyle to the metacarpus. A glance telegraphs from brain 

 to brain — " Slippery Diekl" Another telegram aud answer 

 flash to aud fro — 



' ' 1 shall follow him 1" 

 "And I ! lead on I" 



A few biscuit are gathered from the wreck which strews 

 the ground, and we press on up the canyon Ignotus' blood 

 is up— the old Berserker stirs within him — bis tendeiest feel- 

 mgs have been outraged, and heart's blood alone will wash 

 out the stain upon his honor. " Wrath in his port, aud 

 vengeance in his eye," he leads the way, sure-fooled as the 

 Cimarron, untiring as the giay wolf — and as siern and fatal 

 as the wool-shod Nemesis. Woe to the dastard who bath 

 heaped such foul scorn upon a freeman's head ! By the 

 thunderbolts or. Jove, dearly shall he pay for his morning's 

 pastime ! Was it not enough, O Elusive Richard ! that 

 pierced by the spears of the wind we shivered for three long 

 hours, in futile ambush for thee, but that thou must needs 

 " flutter the dove-cotes u£ Corioli," when the Volscians were 

 absent ? " Better that a mill-stone were tied around thy neck, 

 and thou wert cast into the uttermost depths of the sea," 

 than to have violated the sanctity of <>ur tabernacle. 



Up, still up, till the head of the gulch is reached, and we 

 stand among the splintered crags and wind-swept tors that 

 mark the crest of Hermosa pass. Here it behooves us to 

 move cautiously, for, fierce with vengeance though we are, 

 we do not care, upon this broken ground, to come too close 

 to a savage grizzly. Silently we work our way over and 

 between the shattered rock-masses, until we look down into 

 the Canon del Christo upon the other side. Ha.' what is 

 that brown mass, a thousand feel below? By the spear of 

 the great Ninirod, we have him at last ! 



"Try him," whispered Ignotus, unselfish, even at this 

 supreme moment. 



It is a long shot, but I rest my heavy Sharps upon a jut- 

 ting point, elevate the sights, and fire. A jet of white dust, 

 twenty yards the other side, tells me I have overshot. At the 

 crack of the gun, he turns, catches sight of the smoke, and, 

 with a "woof I" of snarling rage, charges straight for us. 

 Another cartridge is slip;.ed in, the rifle pitched to the 

 Shoulder, when Ignotus knocks up the barrel. 



" Hold on : Wail till he gels abreast of that rock there"— 

 about twenty yards away — " ami ihen aim steady, and we'll 

 both take him between ihe eyes. Steady, I tell you— if we 

 don't fetch him, first pop, one of us will have to go home 

 alone." 



His coolness is contagious, and I drop my gun to the hol- 

 low of my arm, and watch our enemy Bfl he comes shambling 

 up the pass. His red eyes gleam with savage hate, as lie 

 plunges onward, his sickle-like claws ringing against the 

 porphyry rocks, every hair bristling with rage, and that 

 vengeful ''woof! woof;" tearing the air at every step. 

 Every second he grows in size. Now he's as largtfas a year- 



ling steer— now, as a log school-house, aud now, as he comes 

 abreast of the designated rock, he looms up as large as the 

 Tribune" building. 



" Ron!;/ P' whispers Ignotus, and the rifle barrels drop to 

 an "aim." 



it J''irc, / " and the reports arc simultaneous. 



There hardly conn i ble"thud!" 



which tells us i hut the bul lets have si ruck flesh, before the bear 

 rears to his full height, stands one moment clear cut against 

 a blue background Of sky, then crashes prone upon the 

 ringing rocks. A long-drawn yell — the Dakota war- 

 whoop — peals from the" throat of Ignotus, and the death- 

 song of the "Big Bear of Hertnosa" shrills from peak to 

 peak, and startles the shiw-wiiigcd eagle hovering above our 

 heads. 



There if lies, a huge, uncouth, inert mass of gray fur, 

 gleaming teeth, and savage brawn and muscle. Over the 

 fiery eye creeps the gray film of death — from the cavernous 

 mouth lolls supine the red tongue, flaked with foam — while 

 the white slaver dripping from the massive jaws, relieves the 

 scarlet of the bleed that splashes slowly ' down upon the 

 rocks. From the gaping wound in the centre of the low fore- 

 head, a thin stream of blue snake tells that the explosive 

 bullets have done their-deadly work. The fierce man- slayer, 

 the terror of the minim.' camps, the incarnation of brute 

 ferocity and savage hale, lias succumbed to the superior 

 knowledge aud deadlier skill of his biped cousins, and an- 

 other victory is scored iu the never-ending warfare of Mind 

 vs. Force. Animal cunning against human skill— the in- 

 stinct of ihe beast agairut the rcasOii of man-thews and 

 Binews arrayed against explosive bullets— fangs and claws 

 opposed to breecn-loading rifles — what chance has Ursus as 

 against Homo ? It is the old slory of the oaken cudgel and the 

 steel rapier — the green turban ami Cceur de Lion's battle-axe — 

 of Montezuma against Cortez, and ol Caliban against Prospero. 



The contest is too unequal, and after the first burst of tri- 

 umph is over, there comes the shime-faced feeling of having, 

 in the expressive words of my whilom acquaintance, Monte 

 Jim, " stocked the keerds on the cuss, and dealt him four 

 aces agin a royal flush." 



I shall not say how much our victim weighed — what was 

 the girth of his mighty fore-arm, or the length of the ivory 

 scimetars that armed his huge splay feet. Enough, that 

 Ignotus, who had killed more than one bear since '49, after 

 looking upon the vast proportions spread out before him, ex- 

 pressed himself in the words of Holy Writ, "Lord! now 

 lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." 



Some envious souls there were iu Argentum, "lewd fel- 

 lows of the baser sort," who declared that it was not Slip- 

 pery Dick at all, though they magnanimously admitted "he 

 wur a pretty far-sized bar, fur a tenderfoot to holp to kill." 



Be that as it may, that night we slept the sleep of the just, 

 having avenged our ravaged camp, and wiped out the slain 

 upon our honor ; and thenceforth Slippery Dick has been 

 misssing from his accustomed haunts, aud no more does the 

 picturesque prospector start in dread as the harmless rabbi t 

 bops across his path, taking each rustle in the leaves for 

 the tread of " The Big Bear of Hermosa." H. P. U. 



A RIVERSIDE ROMANCE. 



LEAVES FBOM A LOS-BOOK— VI. 



A KINGFISHER darted from the limb of a dead tree 

 with a downward swoop, chattering noisily as it flew. 

 Amuskrat rolled lazily off the bank into the river, and made 

 a hundred bubbles rise where it sank. And Barry Newtou 

 sat upright in his canoe with a start, recovering from the 

 dreamy reverie that the warm, still summer day had cast 

 over him, aud plied the double-bladod paddle with more 

 vigor. A muscular, well-knit pair of arms they were, too, 

 feathered the spruce blades with such a neat turn, and the 

 whole figure was not one whit behind them in development; 

 while the ruddy skill and clear, blue eye told of the out-of- 

 door exercise that this young man had alwajs enjoyed. 



"It can't be many miles further to John's," mused he, as 

 be turned a bend in the river aud peered anxiously ahead. 

 "John wrote that after I reached Pleasautville I 

 would pass under four bridges, and would then 

 be abreast of bis domain, with the mansion to the west 

 of the river. And now, I have passed under four — no, three 

 bridges, mid Ihe other's not in sight ; and it's getting late, 

 and I'll soon have to look out for an inn to spend the night. 

 I wonder what sort of a place John has got. Old and som- 

 bre, probably, like himself. And he married 1 I'd sooner 

 thought of old Proxy's marble bust marrying than John 

 Sanders. Such a staid, awkward old ' dig' he was when he 

 used to preach to me about my sophomoric escapades. I 

 don't thiuk I shall fancy his wife. Some sedate, blue-stock- 

 ing, with eye-glasses and a dismal countenance, knowing 

 more about the differential ion of the exponents of variable 



quantities than she does about Hello! what's that. 



Something iu the water. It's a dog— no, by Jove, it's a girl, 

 and she can't get out," and the paddle tlew like lightning, as 

 the canoe was turned toward the struggling object. With a 

 few quick strokes be was brought alongside, and the light 

 drapery was grasped by one strong baud, while with the 

 other the canoe was pushed ashore. Stepping out upon 

 the bunk Barry Newton laid his burden, now insensible, 

 upon the grass. 



" Well ! ibis U a go. Nice looking girl, half drowned ; no 

 house in sight ; getting towards dusk. Wonder what I'd 

 better do. If she's drowned I ought to — let's see— roll her on 

 a barrel, I think. But the water there surely isn't deep 

 enough to drown any one. She must have been walking close 

 to the river, and the bank caved iu. More scared than hurt, 

 I gueBS." 



Just then the girl opened a pair of large brown eyes and 

 lixed them on the young man. For a moment she hesitated, 

 as if collecting her thoughts, and then, trying to rise, she 

 said, with a blush and a half smile, " 1 was awfuily frightened 

 in the water, aud — -you must have fished me out." 



"I did that service for you, miss; and now, if you will 

 tell me in which direction we cauBoonest find a house, I will 

 wrap you up in a blanket fruni my boat and carry you 

 there." 



" My own house is just across the field, and can be seen 

 after passing the grove of cellars-, but I am quire able to 

 walk if you will aid me with your arm, and I would not ask 

 that if the fall had not quite taken away my breath, aud I 

 still tremble from the fright, I am not a bit brave, as 3 r ou 

 see." 



"Your trembling is from cold more than fright, I imagine. 

 But you must let me get you a wrap from my boat," with 

 which Barry Newtou made a hasty trip to the canoe, took a 

 warm blanket from its recesses, and hastened back to wrap 

 it around the young girl's shoulders, 



' There, now, I fancy you will be a little more comfortable^ 

 But let us hasten, for stauding in wet garments is not con- 

 ducive to health." 



"Dear me, 1 don't know what my mother will say at my 

 latest adventure," laughingly said his companion, an they 

 hurried across the field, "and 1 know I deserve a sound 

 rating for being so careless. Bur I was so wrapt in watching 

 your pretty boat that 1 did not notice how frail a support 

 was beneath me. My absurd fright was utterly inexcusable, 

 considering that the water was not deep enough to drown 

 me. It must have afforded you great amusement." 



The eyes that glanced up fit the young man, as he emphati- 

 cally repudiated the idea of being amused at her misfortune, 

 were certainly the most bewitching eyes he had ever seen. 

 And he noted, too, that his companion was not the immature 

 girl he had at first thought her to be, but a young woman of 

 at least eighteen, of short stature, but of a rounded figure, 

 beautiful in its symmetry, that lost none of its charm by 

 being so faithfully depicted in the damp aud clinging 

 garments. 



" Here we are at last," said the little lady, as they ap- 

 proached a neat stone mansion, nestled among some shady 

 oaks, " and there is mamma watching for me." 



A middle-aged lady, with a pleasant face surrounded by 

 waving hair slightly tinged with gray, stood on the porch, 

 looking with some astonishment at the approaching couple, 

 evidently at a loss to comprehend the meaning of the Indian 

 blanket of the one, and the blue flannel costume of the other. 

 " For mercy's sake, Fanny, what has happened ?" 

 ' ' Only another of my ridiculous adventures, dear mamma. 

 You see, my love for the water led me too close to the 

 river, and the bank geve way and in I went. And this gen- 

 tleman was good enough to fish me out." 



" Bless me, child, you arc in a frightful state. Run to 

 your room at once. Aud you, sir, I dare say my daughter 

 hasn't so much as thanked you for your kindness,— she is 

 such a thoughtless girl. Pray come in and let me offer you 

 some refreshment Are you from Pleasani ville ?" 



"My name is Newton, madam," replied Barry, "and I 

 am traveling atone upon the river in a canoe. I hoped to 

 reach the house of a friend to-night, but fear I shall not, 

 I am grateful for your kind invitation, but beg of you to ex- 

 cuse me, as I must hasten on to find an inn before dark where 

 can lodge to-night." 



I beg you not to think of such a thing, Mr-. Newton, Our 

 home is at your service for a lodging to-night, the inn at the 

 next village is a shabby place, and not to be thought of, and 

 Fanny would never forgive me if I let you go without giv- 

 ing her a chance to thank you for 'fishing her out,' as she 

 calls it." 

 But—." 



' But me no buls, sir," pleasantly said the lady, " I in- 

 sist." 



" Well, I agree, on one condition : that my canoe be given 

 a place also. The stable will do for it." 



" Tour canoe shall be sheltered, of course. Michsol, help 

 Mr. Newton to carry his boat from the river. I shall expect 

 you directly, sir." 



Half an hour later found Barry Newton in a room in the 

 mansion gazing ruefully at the reflection of his sunburnt 

 face aud rough costume in the glass. After performing a 

 hasiy toilet and giving himself as presentable an appearance 

 as he was able, he descended to the drawing room, where he 

 was so kindly greeted by Mrs. Gardinier and her daughter 

 that he was soon at his case, and forgot his boating toggery 

 in the free, informal and home-like hospitality accorded him. 

 By the time tea was over Barry Newton felt himself 

 completely at home, and thanked his lucky star that he had ■ 

 been led to the pleasant country house. The daughter played 

 and sang divinely, and Barry's old college songs, sung in a 

 clear baritone, were very agreeably appreciated ; so that the 

 evening passed very quickly, and it was quite late when bed- 

 time was announced. Barry found it emite impossible to 

 address the daughter as " Miss Gardinier," for her small 

 figure, merry laughter, and naive, child-like manners made 

 that appellation sound too stilted. In introducing her Mrs. 

 Gardinier had merely called her "Fanny," so Barry easily 

 dropped into " Miss Fanny," and as it did not seem disagree- 

 able he continued thus to address her. 



"Not at all a common girl." thought the young man, as 

 he lay that night, on the soft couch in his room, listening to 

 the rain that had begun falling in a measured "rat-tat" on 

 the roof. "In fact, quite an uncommon girl. She's just 

 like a child in her ways, but she's a clever, pretty little thing, 

 and she's got a— something, I dou' t know what, that's just 

 deucedly captivating. I wonder if she knows many men. 

 Of course she don't, though, in this out-of-the-way place. 

 The .mother spoke of 'my son,' who seeme to be away at 

 present, aud Miss Fanny said she wished 'John' were at 

 home. This ' John' must be her brother.'' 



Next moruiug the rain had not ceased, but came down in 

 a steady pour, that showed no sign of abating. The Gardi- 

 niers would not listen to Barry's proposal to depart in the 

 storm, and insisted so strongly on his remaining that he could 

 not refuse. It must be confessed, too, that the prospect of 

 spending a day iu the delightful society of Miss Fanny was 

 very agreeable to contemplate. During )the morning, while 

 Mrs. Gardinier was busy directing the" household affairs, 

 Barry and Miss Fanny were discussing the canoe trip, aud 

 the farmer was relating some amusiug incidents that had oc- 

 curred to him. 



" And who is this friend that you are on your way to visit, 

 if it be not impertinent to ask ?" 



"His name is John Sanders," said Barry; and then he 

 continued, without noticing the start which the mention of 

 the name had caused Miss Fanny, "he is an old college 

 chum, and the best fellow in the world, but he's an odd sort 

 of stick, so ^old-fashioned and precise in his ways, and as un- 

 interesting a specimen of humanity to those who do not know 

 him well, as could be met in a week's journey. At college 

 he was always the butt for our practical jokes, being ready 

 to credit our most extravagant tales. He has lately beeu 

 married, and to some slaid creature like himself, f imagine, 

 —probably some old maid lhat no one else would think of 

 choosing." 



The little lady's face was now blood-red, and her eyes 

 sparkled sirangely. But she coughed a litt e, and replied 

 composedly, " I believe I have heard of him ; and, if I am 

 not mistaken, his residence is not a great way from here." 

 Then, with an excuse, she rose and hastily quitted the room. 

 The day passed very pleasani ly, notwithstanding the storm 

 without, and at its close Barry was still more enchanted than 

 before with the vivacious Fanny. When, therefore, the next 

 morning showed the storm Btillat its height, it was without 

 great difficulty that he was persuaded to remain yet another 



" But to-morrow will be Sunday," said he, and I must 



