They could see Paul cautiously rise from his knees to a crouching attitude.  They followed the direction of his gaze, and before them the monarch of these forests stood in clumsy might.  A bear had shambled to the edge of the clearing and was standing upright, growling and grumbling to himself, his great paws waving from side to side, his shaggy head thrust forward with a recurring jerk singularly suggestive of a dandy with an uncomfortable collar.  These bears of Northern Russia have not the reputation of being very fierce unless they are aroused from their winter quarters, when their wrath knows no bounds and their courage recognizes no danger.  An angry bear is afraid of no living man or beast.  Moreover, these kings of the Northern forests are huge beasts, capable of smothering a strong man by falling on him and lying there—­a death which has come to more than one daring hunter.  The beast’s favorite method of dealing with his foe is to claw him to death, or else hug him till his ribs are snapped and crushed into his vitals.

The bear stood poking his head and looking about with little, fiery, bloodshot eyes for something to destroy.  His rage was manifest, and in his strength he was a grand sight.  The majesty of power and a dauntless courage were his.

It was De Chauxville’s shot, and while keeping his eye on the bear, Paul glanced impatiently over his shoulder from time to time, wondering why the Frenchman did not fire.  The bear was a huge one, and would probably carry three bullets and still be a dangerous adversary.

The keeper muttered impatiently.

They were watching Paul breathlessly.  The bear was approaching him.  It would not be safe to defer firing another second.

Suddenly the keeper gave a short exclamation of astonishment and threw up his rifle.

There was another bear behind Paul, shambling toward him, unseen by him.  All his attention was riveted on the huge brute forty yards in front of him.  It was Claude de Chauxville’s task to protect Paul from any flank or rear attack; and Claude de Chauxville was peering over his covert, watching with blanched face the second bear; and lifting no hand, making no sign.  The bear was within a few yards of Paul, who was crouching behind the fallen pine and now raising his rifle to his shoulder.

In a flash of comprehension the two girls saw all, through the panes of the closed window.  It was still singularly like a scene on the stage.  The second bear raised his powerful fore-paws as he approached.  One blow would tear open Paul’s brain.

A terrific report sent the girls staggering back, for a moment paralyzing thought.  The keeper had fired through the window, both barrels almost simultaneously.  It was a question how much lead would bring the bear down before he covered the intervening dozen yards.  In the confined space of the hut, the report of the heavy double charge was like that of a cannon; moreover, Steinmetz, twenty yards away, had fired at the same moment.