the man of the forest-第15部分

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stronger　more　swiftly。　　Helen　wondered　if　she　could　yield　to
her　own　leaning　to　the　primitive。　　But　how　could　anyone　with
a　thoughtful　and　grasping　mind　yield　that　way？　　It　was　the
savage　who　did　not　think。

Helen　saw　Dale　stand　erect　once　more　and　gaze　into　the
forest。

〃Reckon　Roy　ain't　comin'；〃　he　soliloquized。　　〃An'　that's
good。〃　Then　he　turned　to　the　girls。　　〃Supper's　ready。〃

The　girls　responded　with　a　spirit　greater　than　their
activity。　　And　they　ate　like　famished　children　that　had　been
lost　in　the　woods。　　Dale　attended　them　with　a　pleasant　light
upon　his　still　face。

〃To…morrow　night　we'll　have　meat；〃　he　said。

〃What　kind？〃　asked　Bo。

〃Wild　turkey　or　deer。　　Maybe　both；　if　you　like。　　But　it's　well
to　take　wild　meat　slow。　　An'　turkey　　that　'll　melt　in　your
mouth。〃

〃Uummm！〃　murmured　Bo；　greedily。　　〃I've　heard　of　wild　turkey。〃

When　they　had　finished　Dale　ate　his　meal；　listening　to　the
talk　of　the　girls；　and　occasionally　replying　briefly　to　some
query　of　Bo's。　　It　was　twilight　when　he　began　to　wash　the
pots　and　pans；　and　almost　dark　by　the　time　his　duties
appeared　ended。　　Then　he　replenished　the　campfire　and　sat
down　on　a　log　to　gaze　into　the　fire。　　The　girls　leaned
comfortably　propped　against　the　saddles。

〃Nell；　I'll　keel　over　in　a　minute；〃　said　Bo。　　〃And　I　oughtn't
　right　on　such　a　big　supper。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　I　can　sleep；　and　I　know　I　can't　stay
awake；〃　rejoined　Helen。

Dale　lifted　his　head　alertly。

〃Listen。〃

The　girls　grew　tense　and　still。　　Helen　could　not　hear　a
sound；　unless　it　was　a　low　thud　of　hoof　out　in　the　gloom。
The　forest　seemed　sleeping。　　She　knew　from　Bo's　eyes；　wide
and　shining　in　the　camp…fire　light；　that　she；　too；　had
failed　to　catch　whatever　it　was　Dale　meant。

〃Bunch　of　coyotes　comin'；〃　he　explained。

Suddenly　the　quietness　split　to　a　chorus　of　snappy；
high…strung；　strange　barks。　　They　sounded　wild；　yet　they　held
something　of　a　friendly　or　inquisitive　note。　　Presently　gray
forms　could　be　descried　just　at　the　edge　of　the　circle　of
light。　　Soft　rustlings　of　stealthy　feet　surrounded。　　the　camp；
and　then　barks　and　yelps　broke　out　all　around。　　It　was　a
restless　and　sneaking　pack　of　animals；　thought　Helen；　she
was　glad　after　the　chorus　ended　and　with　a　few　desultory；
spiteful　yelps　the　coyotes　went　away。

Silence　again　settled　down。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　the
anxiety　always　present　in　Helen's　mind　she　would　have
thought　this　silence　sweet　and　unfamiliarly　beautiful。

〃Ah！　　Listen　to　that　fellow；〃　spoke　up　Dale。　　His　voice　was
thrilling。

Again　the　girls　strained　their　ears。　　That　was　not　necessary；
for　presently；　clear　and　cold　out　of　the　silence；　pealed　a
mournful　howl；　long　drawn；　strange　and　full　and　wild。

〃Oh！　　What's　that？〃　whispered　Bo。

〃That's　a　big　gray　wolf　　a　timber…wolf；　or　lofer；　as　he's
sometimes　called；〃　replied　Dale。　　〃He's　high　on　some　rocky
ridge　back　there。　　He　scents　us；　an'　he　doesn't　like　it。　。　。
。　　There　he　goes　again。　　Listen！　　Ah；　he's　hungry。〃

While　Helen　listened　to　this　exceedingly　wild　cry　　so　wild
that　it　made　her　flesh　creep　and　the　most　indescribable
sensations　of　loneliness　come　over　her　　she　kept　her
glance　upon　Dale。

〃You　love　him？〃　she　murmured　involuntarily；　quite　without
understanding　the　motive　of　her　query。

Assuredly　Dale　had　never　had　that　question　asked　of　him
before；　and　it　seemed　to　Helen；　as　he　pondered；　that　he　had
never　even　asked　it　of　himself。

〃I　reckon　so；〃　he　replied；　presently。

〃But　wolves　kill　deer；　and　little　fawns；　and　everything
helpless　in　the　forest；〃　expostulated　Bo。

The　hunter　nodded　his　head。

〃Why；　then；　can　you　love　him？〃　repeated　Helen。

〃Come　to　think　of　it；　I　reckon　it's　because　of　lots　of
reasons；〃　returned　Dale。　　〃He　kills　clean。　　He　eats　no
carrion。　　He's　no　coward。　　He　fights。　　He　dies　game。　。　。　。　　An'
he　likes　to　be　alone。〃

〃Kills　clean。　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃A　cougar；　now；　he　mangles　a　deer。　　An'　a　silvertip；　when
killin'　a　cow　or　colt；　he　makes　a　mess　of　it。　　But　a　wolf
kills　clean；　with　sharp　snaps。〃

〃What　are　a　cougar　and　a　silvertip？〃

〃Cougar　means　mountain…lion　or　panther；　an'　a　silvertip　is　a
grizzly　bear。〃

〃Oh；　they're　all　cruel！〃　exclaimed　Helen；　shrinking。

〃I　reckon。　　Often　I've　shot　wolves　for　relayin'　a　deer。〃

〃What's　that？〃

〃Sometimes　two　or　more　wolves　will　run　a　deer；　an'　while　one
of　them　rests　the　other　will　drive　the　deer　around　to　his
pardner；　who'll；　take　up　the　chase。　　That　way　they　run　the
deer　down。　　Cruel　it　is；　but　nature；　an'　no　worse　than　snow
an'　ice　that　starve　deer；　or　a　fox　that　kills　turkey…chicks
breakin'　out　of　the　egg；　or　ravens　that　pick　the　eyes　out　of
new…born　lambs　an'　wait　till　they　die。　　An'　for　that　matter；
men　are　crueler　than　beasts　of　prey；　for　men　add　to　nature；
an'　have　more　than　instincts。〃

Helen　was　silenced；　as　well　as　shocked。　　She　had　not　only
learned　a　new　and　striking　viewpoint　in　natural　history；　but
a　clear　intimation　to　the　reason　why　she　had　vaguely
imagined　or　divined　a　remarkable　character　in　this　man。　　A
hunter　was　one　who　killed　animals　for　their　fur；　for　their
meat　or　horns；　or　for　some　lust　for　blood　　that　was
Helen's　definition　of　a　hunter；　and　she　believed　it　was　held
by　the　majority　of　people　living　in　settled　states。　　But　the
majority　might　be　wrong。　　A　hunter　might　be　vastly　different；
and　vastly　more　than　a　tracker　and　slayer　of　game。　　The
mountain　world　of　forest　was　a　mystery　to　almost　all　men。
Perhaps　Dale　knew　its　secrets；　its　life；　its　terror；　its
beauty；　its　sadness；　and　its　joy；　and　if　so；　how　full；　how
wonderful　must　be　his　mind！　　He　spoke　of　men　as　no　better
than　wolves。　　Could　a　lonely　life　in　the　wilderness　teach　a
man　that？　　Bitterness；　envy；　jealousy；　spite；　greed；　and　hate
　these　had　no　place　in　this　hunter's　heart。　　It　was　not
Helen's　shrewdness；　but　a　woman's　intuition；　which　divined
that。

Dale　rose　to　his　feet　and；　turning　his　ear　to　the　north；
listened　once　more。

〃Are　you　expecting　Roy　still？〃　inquired　Helen。

〃No；　it　ain't　likely　he'll　turn　up　to…night；〃　replied　Dale；
and　then　he　strode　over　to　put　a　hand　on　the　pine…tree　that
soared　above　where　the　girls　lay。　　His　action；　and　the　way　he
looked　up　at　the　tree…top　and　then　at　adjacent　trees；　held
more　of　that　significance　which　so　interested　Helen。

〃I　reckon　he's　stood　there　some　five　hundred　years　an'　will
stand　through　to…night；〃　muttered　Dale。

This　pine　was　the　monarch　of　that　wide…spread　group。

〃Listen　again；〃　said　Dale。

Bo　was　asleep。　　And　Helen；　listening；　at　once　caught　low；
distant　roar。

〃Wind。　　It's　goin'　to　storm；〃　explained　Dale。　　〃You'll　hear
somethin'　worth　while。　　But　don't　be　scared。　　Reckon　we'll　be
safe。　　Pines　blow　down　often。　　But　this　fellow　will　stand　any
fall　wind　that　ever　was。　。　。　。　　Better　slip　under　the
blankets　so　I　can　pull　the　tarp　up。〃

Helen　slid　down；　just　as　she　was；　fully　dressed　except　for
boots；　which　she　and　Bo　had　removed；　and　she　laid　her　head
close　to　Bo's。　　Dale　pulled　the　tarpaulin　up　and　folded　it
back　just　below　their　heads。

〃When　it　rains　you'll　wake；　an'　then　just　pull　the　tarp　up
over　you；〃　he　said。

〃Will　it　rain？〃　Helen　asked。　　But　she　was　thinking　that　this
moment　was　the　strangest　that　had　ever　happened　to　her。　　By
the　light　of　the　camp…fire　she　saw　Dale's　face；　just　as
usual；　still；　darkly　serene；　expressing　no　thought。　　He　was
kind；　but　he　was　not　thinking　of　these　sisters　as　girls；
alone　with　him　in　a　pitch…black　forest；　helpless　and
defenseless。　　He　did　not　seem　to　be　thinking　at　all。　　But
Helen　had　never　before　in　her　life　been　so　keenly
susceptible　to　experience。

〃I'll　be　close　by　an'　keep　the　fire　goin'　all　night；〃　he
said。

She　heard　him　stride　off　into　the　darkness。　　Presently　there
came　a　dragging；　bumping　sound；　then　a　crash　of　a　log
dropped　upon　the　fire。　　A　cloud　of　sparks　shot　up；　and　many
pattered　down　to　hiss　upon　the　damp　ground。　　Smoke　again
curled　upward　along　the　great；　seamed　tree…trunk；　and　flames
sputtered　and　crackled。

Helen　listened　again　for　the　roar　of　wind。　　It　seemed　to　come
on　a　breath　of　air　that　fanned　her　cheek　and　softly　blew
Bo's　curls；　and　it　was　stronger。　　But　it　died　out　presently；
only　to　come　again；　and　still　stronger。　　Helen　realized　then
that　the　sound　was　that　of　an　approaching　storm。　　Her　heavy
eyelids　almost　refused　to　stay　open；　and　she　knew　if　she　let
them　close　she　would　instantly　drop　to　sleep。　　And　she　wanted
to　hear　the　storm…wind　in　the　pines。

A　few　drops　of　cold　rain　fell　upon　her　face；　thrilling　her
with　the　proof　that　no　roof　stood　between　her　and　the
elements。　　Then　a　breeze　bore　the　smell　of　burnt　wood　into
her　face；　and　somehow　her　quick　mind　flew　to　girlhood　days
when　she　burned　brush　and　leaves　with　her　little　brothers。
The　memory　faded。　　The　roar　that　had　seemed　distant　was　now
back　in　the　forest；　coming　swiftly；　increasing　in　volume。
Like　a　stream　in　flood　it　bore　down。　　Helen　grew　amazed；
startled。　　How　rushing；　oncoming；　and　heavy　this　storm…wind！
She　likened　its　approach　to　the　tread　of　an　army。　　Then　the
roar　filled　the　forest；　yet　it　was　back　there　behind　her。
Not　a　pine…needle　quivered　in　the　light　of　the　camp…fire。
But　the　air　seemed　to　be　oppressed　with　a　terrible　charge。
The　roar　augmented　till　it　was　no　longer　a　roar；　but　an
on…sweeping　crash；　like　an　ocean　torrent　engulfing　the
earth。　　Bo　awoke　to　cling　to　Helen　with　fright。　　The　deafening
storm…blast　was　upon　them。　　Helen　felt　the　saddle…pillow　move
under　her　head。　　The　giant　pine　had　trembled　to　its　very
roots。　　That　mighty　fury　of　wind　was　all　aloft；　in　the
tree…tops。　　And　for　a　long　moment　it　bowed　the　forest　under
its　tremendous　power。　　Then　the　deafening　crash　passed　to
roar；　and　that　swept　on　and　on；　lessening　in　volume；
deepening　in　low　detonation；　at　last　to　die　in　the　distance。

No　sooner　had　it　died　than　back　to　the　north　another　low
roar　rose　and　ceased　and　rose　again。　　Helen　lay　there；
whispering　to　Bo；　and　heard　again　the　great　wave　of　wind
come　and　crash　and　cease。　　That　was　the　way　of　this
storm…wind　of　the　mountain　forest。

A　soft　patter　of　rain　on　the　tarpaulin　warned　Helen　to
remember　Dale's　directions；　and；　pulling　up　the　heavy
covering；　she　a