CHAPTER VIII.
ORSO Mrs.Chester and I hurried back to the yard.

There was the bear, sitting calmly on his haunches, but there was no Italian.
"Now that his master is gone," my hostess exclaimed, "I am afraid of him! I will not go any farther! Can you imagine anything that can be done with that beast ?" I had no immediate answer to give, and I was still very much amused at the absurdity of the situation.

Had any one ever before paid his bill in such fashion?
At this moment the stable-man approached us from one of the outbuildings.

"This is my hostler," she said.

"Perhaps he can suggest something." "This is a bad go, ma'am," said he.