is gun as fast as possible, and
had just driven down the ball, when screams were heard from the cottage,
coming from the young bride.

These brought Wolf-hunter to his feet, and, not feeling the pain of his
wounded hand, he went through the forest for the cottage with the speed
of the panther, with the long bloody weapon in his right hand, closely
pursued by the Indian chief. Esock Mayall came with all possible speed
from the creek, where he had killed the young bear that passed him, to
rescue his young wife, the three arriving at the same time.

When within about twenty feet of the cottage they saw the flash and
heard the loud report of a gun, and all was hushed to silence. And there
stood Esock Mayall's young wife, who had fired the last gun and killed
the last bear, proud of her success. The young bear which passed the
Indian chief and received his fire was only slightly wounded, and fled
to the cottage for safety, and plunged into the door, and finding the
young bride in possession, cleaning out the leaves, attacked her with
great fury. Not being able to get her rifle, she defended herself with a
club that had been cut for a fire poker. At length giving the bear a
lucky blow, she seized her rifle and leaped out the cottage door, and
only had time to bring it to her face before the young bear leaped out
after her. Her rifle was quickly brought to bear upon him. A flash and a
report, and the young bear lay dead at her feet, with three brave men
coming to her assistance, but too late to be of use. The battle of the
bears, so well begun with Wolf-hunter, had ended by a maiden's hand.
Three prowling monsters of the wood lay cold in death amid their native
wilds, and the party, proud of their success, concluded to dress the
young bear killed at the cottage and have a feast of roasted meat. A
large fire was built before the cottage, that illuminated the forest for
some distance around, which made a wild and beautiful appearance, with
the high leafy arches over their head, and the yellow and crimson leaves
of autumn carpeting the forest as far as the eye could penetrate the
surrounding darkness.

The young bear was hastily dressed, and a part of it roasted, from which
they made a sumptuous feast with corn bread. After the feast was over,
the Indian chief, Esock Mayall, and his wife, remained at the cottage,
whilst Wolf-hunter took a part of the roasted meat and corn bread and
recrossed the stream, to feed his wife and chi