“Yes; a short time. It seems Mrs. Bruce gave her a short course.”
The girl’s tone was cool; but Mrs. Nixon noted, as she had done before, the cleverness with which she conveyed her distinct words, and the ease with which her brother understood.
“Didn’t you like her very much?”
“No, not especially. I had no occasion to know her well.”
“H’m! She seemed to me so appealing. Very modest and engaging.”
“I dare say she is,” returned Helen carelessly. “Oh, there! See? That black bear and her cubs!”
For the following fifteen minutes the party watched the bears. They heard the mother give the cubs warning under suspicion of a cinnamon bear’s approach, and saw the babies scamper fleetly up a tree, followed by mamma; then, presently reassured, the whole family came down and proceeded with their meal.
Wires were stretched to prevent the human guests from trespassing beyond certain limits, and soldiers were on duty, for it is difficult to believe that the animals are not tame, and the curious would approach them.
While the party watched, the cinnamon bear did appear, headed for the garbage-heap, and the house of black bear took to the woods in a body. Then came a grizzly, and the conquering cinnamon unostentatiously disappeared.