Black Bruin: The Biography of a Bear, Page 2

  Black Bruin

  CHAPTER I

  A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

  Outside, the fitful early April wind howled dismally, swaying theleafless branches of the old elm, and causing them to rub complaininglyagainst the gable end of the farmhouse. Two or three inches of finesnow had fallen the day before and the wind tossed it about gleefully,festooning the window-sashes and piling it high upon window-sills. Itwas one of old winter's last kicks and made it seem even more wintrythan it really was.

  Although the wind moaned and the snow danced fitfully, within a certainquaint farmhouse in Northern New York was warmth and comfort, all themore apparent by the touch of winter outside.

  A cheerful fire was crackling in a large kitchen range, suggesting, byits brightness and snapping, pine-knots full of pitch and resin. Thefront doors of the stove were open and the firelight danced across theroom, filling it with cheer. It was one of those homelike kitchenswhere everything is spick and span, and the nickel on the stove shineslike silver.

  A young farmer of perhaps thirty years was sitting with his shoes offand his heels toasting upon the hearth, while his wife, a pretty,rosy-cheeked country girl, of about his own age, sat in a largesplint-bottom chair, sewing. If it needed one more thing to completethe cozy picture of simple, wholesome country life, it was not wanting,for just at the wife's elbow was a cradle, which she occasionallyjogged with her foot, giving it just enough motion to keep it swayinggently. In the cradle slumbered the heir of the household and the linkof pure gold that bound these two lives together.

  Everything in the room breathed contentment. The kettle hummed andsputtered, sending forth its white cloud of steam, while the kitchenclock ticked off the pleasant moments.

  The man was deeply interested in the weekly paper for which he had justdriven to the office, but he occasionally stopped to take a bite out ofa large red Baldwin apple that he found in a dish on the table near by.

  He was so engrossed in local items that he did not hear his wife'sexcited question until it was repeated for the second time.

  "John, what is that?" she asked.

  "What is what?" he replied, laying down his paper that he might givehis full attention to her inquiry.

  "That noise on the piazza," she answered in a low tone.

  "I don't hear any noise," returned the man; but almost as he spoke aslow shambling step made the floor-boards of the old piazza creak and aheavy hand was laid upon the door.

  "Hello, who's there?" asked the man, for he could think of no one whowould be calling at the hour of nine, which is really late in a farmingcommunity.

  But there was no reply to his inquiry, only the sound of a heavy stepmoving up and down in front of the door.

  "Who are you, and what do you want?" repeated the young farmer in anirritated tone, for he was both surprised and annoyed by the intrusion.

  For answer, the kitchen door began creaking and straining as thoughgreat force was being exerted on it from the outside, and before theastonished couple could exchange glances of amazement and incredulity,with a mighty crash it tumbled in upon them, bringing one door-jambwith it, and fell with a bang upon the floor.

  But the most astonishing thing of all was the figure that stood drawnup to its full height in the doorway.

  The man and woman sat as though petrified, amazement and fear writtenupon their pale faces, for there in the doorway, eyeing them intently,and with no thought of retreat, was a large black bear.

  As the bear stood there, arms akimbo, bear fashion, her great whiteteeth showing through half-parted lips, and the strong claws suggestingwhat execution could be done by a well-directed blow, she was anythingbut a reassuring visitor.

  The young farmer, feeling that something must be done to scare off thishair-raising intruder, leaped to his feet in sudden desperation, and,shouting at the top of his voice, seized the door and slammed it backinto the casing with all his strength, bumping the bear's noseseverely. Then he set his shoulder against it, and braced with all hismight.

  But his move was a bad one, for there was a short angry growl on theoutside and the next instant the door, farmer and all went spinningacross the room, the man falling heavily and striking against the stovein the fall, and the great shaggy monster at once followed up heradvantage by shambling awkwardly into the room.

  The woman screamed and fainted, and then a gust of wind from the opendoorway blew out the light, leaving the kitchen in darkness.

  For a few moments the only sounds heard in the room were the ticking ofthe clock, the humming of the teakettle, and the shambling steps of thebear as she prowled about. But both of the figures on the floor wereunconscious of what was going on, while a bright stream of bloodtrickled from a deep cut in the man's forehead.

  Finally he was aroused by a cold draft of air upon his head. He puthis hand to his forehead and saw that it was dripping with a warmfluid. He then put his fingers into his mouth and tasted and knew thatit was blood. Then full consciousness surged into his throbbing headand he remembered.

  There was no animate sound in the room and a terrible forebodingchilled his heart. He listened for his wife's breathing, but no suchsound reached his ears.

  "Mary," he called in a whisper, "are you here?" But there was only theticking of the clock and the hum of the kettle.

  With an unspeakable fear he sprang to his feet, throwing off allcaution 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 lightsaw his wife lying on the floor like one dead. Kneeling beside her hefelt 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 lookedbewilderingly about.

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

  Suddenly, with a paroxysm of fear, the woman sprang forward andclutched 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, tryingwith trembling fingers to strike another match.

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