rry
creature sprawled over the prostrate cook, growling and snapping his
teeth but as yet inflicting no further injury, and the man underneath no
longer knowing anything, for his terrified senses had taken leave of his
quivering body.

Slowly the bear got upright again and, for a moment towered above his
helpless victim. Then seeming to have satisfied his rage in that
direction, he resumed his natural position and moved back toward the
house. He kept his great head well lowered, wagging it from side to side
and, altogether, conducting himself like a half-blind or greatly
bewildered bear.

By this time the men from the Barracks had reappeared, well armed; but
as the grizzly climbed upon the veranda floor again they hesitated to
fire because the low windows opening upon it were full of peeping faces.
Silent Pete, alone, dared approach the creature as near as the other end
of the veranda. This man had been a mighty hunter in his youth, when
Colorado was an almost unknown country with few settlers and big game
plentiful. His old blood had warmed to the conflict now, though he was
silent as ever and paid no heed to the warnings called to him by his
ranch mates. Creeping stealthily forward toward the encounter he watched
his grizzly enemy with exultation, his thought being:

"He's tough! He's an old one! His hide's thick--I must make no mistake.
When I get nigh enough to hit him through the heart--wish he'd rise up
again--queerest actin' grizzly I ever met--likely my last one--so
anxious to meet me he come a-visitin'--he, he, he! Ah! he's
risin'--I'll--"

Out on the electric lighted grounds the men were grouped with their
rifles, all anxious to fire and all eager to delay till the last moment,
watching this wild beast so uncommonly near at hand. Why, from its
movements it might almost have been a tame animal escaped from some
menagerie. Besides, the trophy belonged to Silent Pete. He was first and
hardiest to face the brute and only if his famously sure shot failed
would they fire to the rescue. Yes, the bear was the old hunter's
legitimate prize--they'd wait, guns ready--

"Don't shoot! Oh! men, don't shoot! DON'T SHOOT!"

To the utter amazement of everyone, up flew Dorothy's window and out she
leaped, so close behind the creeping grizzly that she almost touched
him: she was gesticulating wildly and her repeated cries of "Don't
shoot!" startled old Captain Lem almost to numbness.

What was that she was saying?

"H