to the spur to get a shot at him from that point. It so happened that
the bear also fancied that he had business on the top of the spur, and
began climbing soon after the men lost sight of him.

The bear and the men met unexpectedly at the top, and the bear halted
hesitatingly with his head and breast just showing above the rocks at
the brink of the steep slope. McKiernan did not want to begin the
fight at such close quarters, and he was confident that the bear would
back down and attempt to return to the brush at the foot of the spur if
given time. Then he would have the advantage of the up-hill position
and plenty of time to reload if the bear should attempt to return after
the first shot.

But McKiernan's partner lost his nerve, turned tail and ran away, and
that encouraged the bear to take the offensive, just as it would invite
attack from a hesitating dog. The Grizzly sprang up over the edge of
the steep and charged McKiernan, who threw up his rifle and fired at
the bear's chest. It was a Yeager rifle carrying an ounce ball, and it
checked the charge for a moment by bringing the bear to his knees. As
the bear gathered himself for another rush, McKiernan swung the heavy
rifle and struck the bear over the head with the barrel. He was a
powerful man, accustomed to swinging an axe, and the blow knocked the
bear down and stunned him. The stock of the rifle broke in McKiernan's
hands and the barrel fell close by the bear, which had fallen upon the
very edge of a steep slope at the side of the spur or knob.

McKiernan stooped to recover the rifle barrel with which to beat the
bear to death, and in doing so his head came close to the bear's. The
Grizzly had partly recovered, and throwing his head upward he closed
his jaws upon McKiernan's forehead, with a snap like a steel trap. One