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In a cluh the town of Payson a party of four halted on the outskirts of the town There were two e brown bear The , their head-dress, their barbaric ornaht pass; but no one passed

"I think," said Bridge, "that ill just stay where we are until after dark We haven't passed or seen a hu since we left the cabin No one can know that we are here and if we stay here until late to-night we should be able to pass around Payson unseen and reach the wood to the south of town If we do ht we'll stop them and inquire the way to Oakdale--that'll throw theestion; but there were queries about food to be answered It seery and that the bear was ravenous

"What does he eat?" Bridge asked of Giova

"Mos' anything," replied the girl "He like garbage fine Often I take hiht an' he eat swill I do that to-night Beppo, he got to be fed or he eat Giova I go feed Beppo, you go get food for us; then we all e of wood just other side town near oldthe remainder of the afternoon and well after dark the party remained hidden in the s Then Giova started out with Beppo in search of garbage cans, Bridge bent his steps toward a small store upon the outskirts of tohere food could be purchased, The Oskaloosa Kid having donated a ten dollar bill for the stocking of the coirl made their way around the south end of the toard the h the quiet road at the outskirts of the little town he let his mind revert to the events of the past twenty four hours and as he pondered each happening since he ht he asked hiers In his years of vagabondage Bridge had never crossed that invisible line which separates honest men from thieves and murderers and which, once crossed, may never be recrossed Chance and necessity had thrown hi such men and women; but never had he been of thee--they knew hih, as a character and not as a crined upon suspicion; but as many times had he been released with a clean bill of e had become almost immune froht and they knew, too, that he would give no inforainst another man For this they admired him as did the majority of the cris