teel traps are no good; he smashes them. Lariats won't do, and he
knows all about log traps. But I have a scheme. First, we must follow
him up and learn his range. I reckon that'll take three months."

So the two kept on. They took up that Bear-trail next day; they found
the lariats chewed off. They followed day after day. They learned what
they could from rancher and sheepherder, and much more was told them
than they could believe.

Three months, Lan said, but it took six months to carry out his plan;
meanwhile Monarch killed and killed.

In each section of his range they made one or two cage- or pen-traps
of bolted logs. At the back end of each they put a small grating of
heavy steel bars. The door was carefully made and fitted into grooves.
It was of double plank, with tar-paper between to make it surely
light-tight. It was sheeted with iron on the inside, and when it
dropped it went into an iron-bound groove in the floor.

They left these traps open and unset till they were grayed with age
and smelt no more of man. Then the two hunters prepared for the final
play. They baited all without setting them--baited them with honey,
the lure that Monarch never had refused--and when at length they found
the honey baits were gone, they came where he now was taking toll and
laid the long-planned snare. Every trap was set, and baited as before
with a mass of honey--but _honey now mixed with a potent sleeping
draft_.

XVI. LANDLOCKED

That night the great Bear left his lair, one of his many lairs, and,
cured of all his wounds, rejoicing in the fullness of his mighty
strength, he strode toward the plains. His nose, ever alert,
reported--sheep, a deer, a grouse; men--more sheep, some cows, and
some calves; a bull--a fighting bull--and Monarch wheeled in big,
rude, Bearish joy at the coming battle brunt; but as he hugely hulked
from hill to hill a different message came, so soft and low, so
different from the smell of beefish brutes, one might well wonder he
could sense it, but like a tiny ringing bell when thunder booms it
came, and Monarch wheeled at once. Oh, it cast a potent spell! It
stood for something very near to ecstasy with him, and down the hill
and through the pines he went, on and on faster yet, abandoned to its
sorcery. Here to its home he traced it, a long, low cavern. He had
seen such many times before, had been held in them more than once, but
had learned to spurn them. For weeks he had been robbing th