THE BEAR THE BELLE, AND THE BLACKBERRIES. 203 



" Perhaps Miss Reed may not care to 

 go." 



" Perhaps not; " very sweetly; " it may be 

 too rough for her. Still, Mr. Lane wishes 

 it, and we will arrange it somehow." 



Early the next morning, about 20 young 

 people left Saugus, in one large wagon. 

 Belle occupied the front seat with the 

 driver. Her tin pail was as big as any- 

 body's; her face wore its brightest smiles. 

 Pier's was the clearest voice in all the song 

 and laughter. 



For a mile the road wound through the 

 forest; then came a clearing. The side of 

 the mountain for acres was covered with 

 stumps and blackberry bushes. The horses 

 and wagon were left at a house by the road, 

 and the gay party started out, laden with 

 empty pails and lunch baskets. With the 

 tact that kept her place pre-eminent, Belle 

 chose 2 little brothers for her escort. They 

 were the first to reach the berries. Belle 

 was the life of the party all that day. Her 

 smiles and pleasant words were distributed 

 as plentifully as the blackberries, and were 

 just about as impersonal. 



The merry crowd picked and ate, and 

 picked to fill the pails, which soon grew 

 heavy; ate more berries, and then lunch. 

 The girls got lost, and were found again. 

 They tumbled from stumps and slippery 

 logs. They found treasures of goldenrod 

 and autumn leaves; more than the most 

 gallant of the boys could or would carry; 

 but never for a moment did they forget to 

 entertain Richard Lane. As for him, if his 

 head was not turned, it was because he un- 

 derstood the situation. 



When it was yet early, all the berries 

 they could carry had been gathered. So the 

 pails were grouped in an open space while 

 the pickers rested. Belle looked at the 

 spoils with pride. 



" My berries are really the finest," she 

 said. 



" Let's exchange," suggested some one, 

 in a whisper. 



" Ah— no," said Belle, with energy, " I'll 

 hide mine." With a little effort, she lifted 

 her pail and carried it some distance along 

 the path, around a clump of bushes, out of 

 sight of the party. She quickly came back, 

 flushed and laughing, to join the others, 

 who were climbing to some rocks higher up 

 the hill, where, warm and tired, they all 

 rested. 



" Would you really have cared," asked 

 May Lewis, " if any one had exchanged 

 berries with you?" 



" Indeed I would. They are not black- 

 berries alone, but also sentiments. To-mor- 

 row Aunt and I will put sugar with them, 

 cook them and put them into jars. Later 

 I will pack them into my trunk. Next win- 

 ter I shall eat them all — yes — all. I will de- 

 vour my memories of East Saugus; my 

 moonlight rows, the delightful drives, the 

 dance in Mr. Moore's new barn " 



"And what of us," interrupted Moore; 

 " Are we, also, to be devoured? " 



" I think you have been," whispered 

 Madge Earle." 



Young Moore was a handsome fellow. 

 As he lay against the gray rocks, looking 

 up into Belle's face, Lane noticed, and in- 

 terrupted. 



" There is a well defined path," he said, 

 " across this field. Is there another house 

 in here? " 



" That's a bear trail," calmly explained 

 one of the little brothers. 



" Ah's! " " Oh my's! " and various cries 

 arose in chorus from the girls. 'Over the 

 group had come disquietude; a decided 

 tendency to peer closely into the bushes; 

 to start at sounds. 



" As Mr. Lane's geographical thirst 

 seems to have spoiled our good time," 

 Belle said, rising, " let us go." 



She led the way down the hill, to the spot 

 where the berries were stored. The other 

 girls picked up the baskets and started 

 toward the house. The young men, led by 

 Moore and Belle, went to get the berries. 

 He offered to carry hers for her. 



" Yes, but I must find them and carry 

 them a little way. I intend to eat them all, 

 and as I did not pick them all, I wish to do 

 something to cement my ownership." 



The boys picked up the pails and started 

 to follow the girls, Richard well in advance. 



Moore and the little brothers dallied, 

 waiting for Belle and her berries. At that 

 moment a cry startled them. It was not 

 loud, but alarming. It thrilled one heart, 

 Richard's, for it was his name, and the 

 voice was Belle's. The young men sprang 

 with him to the nook where she had placed 

 her precious berries against a stump. 



She stood with head thrown back and 

 hands raised, facing a great black bear! It 

 had risen on its haunches and was holding 

 up its paws as if to imitate the girl. Near 

 it, half emptied, lay the pail, while the red 

 juice of the berries dripped from bruin's 

 jaws. 



Lane was the first to act. He sprang for- 

 ward and would have made some foolish 

 attempt to rescue Belle, but Moore quickly 

 grasped him by the arm. 



" Hush," Moore said. " All draw back. 

 Belle, come here, slowly; keep your eyes 

 on the bear." 



With rare presence of mind, she obeyed. 

 As she retreated, the bear settled down to 

 his interrupted feast. Belle clung to Rich- 

 ard's arm with all her might. She did not 

 realize yet her complete capitulation. All 

 now retreated in good order, though most 

 of the party felt a strong desire to run. 



Belle was petted, consoled and made 

 much of. She was too excited to realize 

 her adventure. She lost her self control and 

 laughed and cried a little, like any girl, and 

 the girls liked her better for it — and for one 

 other reason. 



