f all
caution and cried, "Mary," in a loud voice, but with no better results.

Then with a trembling hand he struck a match and by its feeble light
saw his wife lying on the floor like one dead. Kneeling beside her he
felt her pulse. It fluttered feebly and he knew she had only swooned.
A dash of cold water soon revived her and she sat up and looked
bewilderingly about.

There upon the floor lay the door with the shattered jamb beside it and
in front of the stove was a bright pool of blood, but no bear was
visible. Then the match went out and they were again in darkness.

Suddenly, with a paroxysm of fear, the woman sprang forward and
clutched in the darkness for the cradle; then with a wild, pitiful,
heartbroken cry, she fell to the floor.

"Mary, Mary, what is the matter?" cried the bewildered husband, trying
with trembling fingers to strike another match.

A moment it sputtered and then burned bright, and by the fitful light
the man beheld that which turned his blood to ice and his heart to
stone. The cradle was empty, and the baby was gone.

CHAPTER II

THE CHASE

When the sudden gust of wind from the open door blew out the light and
left the room in darkness, the great she-bear was not as much
inconvenienced as one might imagine, for the bear is something of a
prowler at night, doing much thieving and hunting when the darkness
screens its deeds, as he has a very good pair of night-eyes.

Being thus left in darkness, the great brute stepped gingerly about,
taking care not to tread upon the two prostrate forms on the floor,
until she came to the cradle. There she stooped and investigated,
passing her tongue caressingly over the little sleeper's face. Then
with her great clumsy paws she drew the blanket in which the baby had
been wrapped about the sleeping child, and taking the loose ends in her
teeth, swung it clear of the cradle and held it as though in a hammock.

Still standing erect, the bear edged carefully to the doorway, but once
on the piazza, where she felt sure that the way was clear, she dropped
on all fours, and started for the woods at a clumsy, shuffling trot.
But clumsy as the gait was, it took her over the ground rapidly, and
she was soon far into the forest.

The heartbroken mother, after being brought back to consciousness,
could only sit and wring her hands and moan, "O John, John, my baby, my
darling, I shall never see it again."

For a few moments the strong young man s