the man of the forest-第2部分

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〃I　won't　keep　you　long；〃　said　Beasley。　　〃But　even　if　I　did
you'd　not　mind　　when　I　tell　you　this　deal　concerns　Al
Auchincloss　　the　man　who　made　an　outlaw　of　you！〃

Anson's　sudden　action　then　seemed　a　leap　of　his　whole　frame。
Wilson；　likewise；　bent　forward　eagerly。　　Beasley　glanced　at
the　door　　then　began　to　whisper。

〃Old　Auchincloss　is　on　his　last　legs。　　He's　goin'　to　croak。
He's　sent　back　to　Missouri　for　a　niece　　a　young　girl　
an'　he　means　to　leave　his　ranches　an'　sheep　　all　his　stock
to　her。　　Seems　he　has　no　one　else。　。　。　。　　Them　ranches　　an'
all　them　sheep　an'　hosses！　　You　know　me　an'　Al　were　pardners
in　sheep…raisin'　for　years。　　He　swore　I　cheated　him　an'　he
threw　me　out。　　An'　all　these　years　I've　been　swearin'　he　did
me　dirt　　owed　me　sheep　an'　money。　　I've　got　as　many　friends
in　Pine　　an'　all　the　way　down　the　trail　　as　Auchincloss
has。　。　。　。　　An'　Snake；　see　here　〃

He　paused　to　draw　a　deep　breath　and　his　big　hands　trembled
over　the　blaze。　　Anson　leaned　forward；　like　a　serpent　ready
to　strike；　and　Jim　Wilson　was　as　tense　with　his　divination
of　the　plot　at　hand。

〃See　here；〃　panted　Beasley。　　〃The　girl's　due　to　arrive　at
Magdalena　on　the　sixteenth。　　That's　a　week　from　to…morrow。
She'll　take　the　stage　to　Snowdrop；　where　some　of
Auchincloss's　men　will　meet　her　with　a　team。〃

〃A…huh！〃　grunted　Anson　as　Beasley　halted　again。　　〃An'　what　of
all　thet？〃

〃She　mustn't　never　get　as　far　as　Snowdrop！〃

〃You　want　me　to　hold　up　the　stage　　an'　get　the　girl？〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃Wal　　an'　what　then？

Make　off　with　her。　。　。　。　　She　disappears。　　That's　your　affair。
。　。　。　　I'll　press　my　claims　on　Auchincloss　　hound　him　
an'　be　ready　when　he　croaks　to　take　over　his　property。　　Then
the　girl　can　come　back；　for　all　I　care。　。　。　。　　You　an'　Wilson
fix　up　the　deal　between　you。　　If　you　have　to　let　the　gang　in
on　it　don't　give　them　any　hunch　as　to　who　an'　what。　　This　'll
make　you　a　rich　stake。　　An'　providin'；　when　it's　paid；　you
strike　for　new　territory。〃

〃Thet　might　be　wise；〃　muttered　Snake　Anson。　　〃Beasley；　the
weak　point　in　your　game　is　the　uncertainty　of　life。　　Old　Al
is　tough。　　He　may　fool　you。〃

〃Auchincloss　is　a　dyin'　man；〃　declared　Beasley；　with　such
positiveness　that　it　could　not　be　doubted。

〃Wal；　he　sure　wasn't　plumb　hearty　when　I　last　seen　him。　。　。
。　　Beasley；　in　case　I　play　your　game　　how'm　I　to　know　that
girl？〃

〃Her　name's　Helen　Rayner；〃　replied　Beasley；　eagerly。　　〃She's
twenty　years　old。　　All　of　them　Auchinclosses　was　handsome　an'
they　say　she's　the　handsomest。〃

〃A…huh！　　。　。　。　　Beasley；　this　's　sure　a　bigger　deal　　an'　one
I　ain't　fancyin'。　。　。　。　　But　I　never　doubted　your　word。　。　。　。
Come　on　　an'　talk　out。　　What's　in　it　for　me？〃

〃Don't　let　any　one　in　on　this。　　You　two　can　hold　up　the
stage。　　Why；　it　was　never　held　up。　。　。　。　　But　you　want　to
mask。　。　。　。　　How　about　ten　thousand　sheep　　or　what　they
bring　at　Phenix　in　gold？〃

Jim　Wilson　whistled　low。

〃An'　leave　for　new　territory？〃　repeated　Snake　Anson；　under
his　breath。

〃You've　said　it。〃

〃Wal；　I　ain't　fancyin'　the　girl　end　of　this　deal；　but　you
can　count　on　me。　。　。　。　　September　sixteenth　at　Magdalena　
an'　her　name's　Helen　　an'　she's　handsome？〃

〃Yes。　　My　herders　will　begin　drivin'　south　in　about　two
weeks。　　Later；　if　the　weather　holds　good；　send　me　word　by　one
of　them　an'　I'll　meet　you。〃

Beasley　spread　his　hands　once　more　over　the　blaze；　pulled　on
his　gloves　and　pulled　down　his　sombrero；　and　with　an　abrupt
word　of　parting　strode　out　into　the　night。

〃Jim；　what　do　you　make　of　him？〃　queried　Snake　Anson。

〃Pard；　he's　got　us　beat　two　ways　for　Sunday；〃　replied
Wilson。

〃A…huh！　　。　。　。　　Wal；　let's　get　back　to　camp。〃　And　he　led　the
way　out。

Low　voices　drifted　into　the　cabin；　then　came　snorts　of
horses　and　striking　hoofs；　and　after　that　a　steady　trot；
gradually　ceasing。　　Once　more　the　moan　of　wind　and　soft
patter　of　rain　filled　the　forest　stillness。



CHAPTER　II

Milt　Dale　quietly　sat　up　to　gaze；　with　thoughtful　eyes；　into
the　gloom。

He　was　thirty　years　old。　　As　a　boy　of　fourteen　he　had　run　off
from　his　school　and　home　in　Iowa　and；　joining　a　wagon…train
of　pioneers；　he　was　one　of　the　first　to　see　log　cabins　built
on　the　slopes　of　the　White　Mountains。　　But　he　had　not　taken
kindly　to　farming　or　sheep…raising　or　monotonous　home　toil；
and　for　twelve　years　he　had　lived　in　the　forest；　with　only
infrequent　visits　to　Pine　and　Show　Down　and　Snowdrop。　　This
wandering　forest　life　of　his　did　not　indicate　that　he　did
not　care　for　the　villagers；　for　he　did　care；　and　he　was
welcome　everywhere；　but　that　he　loved　wild　life　and　solitude
and　beauty　with　the　primitive　instinctive　force　of　a　savage。

And　on　this　night　he　had　stumbled　upon　a　dark　plot　against
the　only　one　of　all　the　honest　white　people　in　that　region
whom　he　could　not　call　a　friend。

〃That　man　Beasley！〃　he　soliloquized。　　〃Beasley　　in　cahoots
with　Snake　Anson！　　。　。　。　　Well；　he　was　right。　　Al　Auchincloss
is　on　his　last　legs。　　Poor　old　man！　　When　I　tell　him　he'll
never　believe　ME；　that's　sure！〃

Discovery　of　the　plot　meant　to　Dale　that　he　must　hurry　down
to　Pine。

〃A　girl　　Helen　Rayner　　twenty　years　old；〃　he　mused。
〃Beasley　wants　her　made　off　with。　。　。　。　　That　means　　worse
than　killed！〃

Dale　accepted　facts　of　life　with　that　equanimity　and
fatality　acquired　by　one　long　versed　in　the　cruel　annals　of
forest　lore。　　Bad　men　worked　their　evil　just　as　savage　wolves
relayed　a　deer。　　He　had　shot　wolves　for　that　trick。　　With　men；
good　or　bad；　he　had　not　clashed。　　Old　women　and　children
appealed　to　him；　but　he　had　never　had　any　interest　in　girls。
The　image；　then；　of　this　Helen　Rayner　came　strangely　to
Dale；　and　he　suddenly　realized　that　he　had　meant　somehow　to
circumvent　Beasley；　not　to　befriend　old　Al　Auchincloss；　but
for　the　sake　of　the　girl。　　Probably　she　was　already　on　her
way　West；　alone；　eager；　hopeful　of　a　future　home。　　How　little
people　guessed　what　awaited　them　at　a　journey's　end！　　Many
trails　ended　abruptly　in　the　forest　　and　only　trained
woodsmen　could　read　the　tragedy。

〃Strange　how　I　cut　across　country　to…day　from　Spruce　Swamp；〃
reflected　Dale。　　Circumstances；　movements；　usually　were　not
strange　to　him。　　His　methods　and　habits　were　seldom　changed
by　chance。　　The　matter；　then；　of　his　turning　off　a　course　out
of　his　way　for　no　apparent　reason；　and　of　his　having
overheard　a　plot　singularly　involving　a　young　girl；　was
indeed　an　adventure　to　provoke　thought。　　It　provoked　more；
for　Dale　grew　conscious　of　an　unfamiliar　smoldering　heat
along　his　veins。　　He　who　had　little　to　do　with　the　strife　of
men；　and　nothing　to　do　with　anger；　felt　his　blood　grow　hot
at　the　cowardly　trap　laid　for　an　innocent　girl。

〃Old　Al　won't　listen　to　me；〃　pondered　Dale。　　〃An'　even　if　he
did；　he　wouldn't　believe　me。　　Maybe　nobody　will。　。　。　。　　All
the　same；　Snake　Anson　won't　get　that　girl。〃

With　these　last　words　Dale　satisfied　himself　of　his　own
position；　and　his　pondering　ceased。　　Taking　his　rifle；　he
descended　from　the　loft　and　peered　out　of　the　door。　　The
night　had　grown　darker；　windier；　cooler；　broken　clouds　were
scudding　across　the　sky；　only　a　few　stars　showed；　fine　rain
was　blowing　from　the　northwest；　and　the　forest　seemed　full
of　a　low；　dull　roar。

〃Reckon　I'd　better　hang　up　here；〃　he　said；　and　turned　to　the
fire。　　The　coals　were　red　now。　　From　the　depths　of　his
hunting…coat　he　procured　a　little　bag　of　salt　and　some
strips　of　dried　meat。　　These　strips　he　laid　for　a　moment　on
the　hot　embers；　until　they　began　to　sizzle　and　curl；　then
with　a　sharpened　stick　he　removed　them　and　ate　like　a　hungry
hunter　grateful　for　little。

He　sat　on　a　block　of　wood　with　his　palms　spread　to　the　dying
warmth　of　the　fire　and　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　changing；
glowing；　golden　embers。　　Outside；　the　wind　continued　to　rise
and　the　moan　of　the　forest　increased　to　a　roar。　　Dale　felt
the　comfortable　warmth　stealing　over　him；　drowsily　lulling；
and　he　heard　the　storm…wind　in　the　trees；　now　like　a
waterfall；　and　anon　like　a　retreating　army；　and　again　low
and　sad；　and　he　saw　pictures　in　the　glowing　embers；　strange
as　dreams。

Presently　he　rose　and；　climbing　to　the　loft；　he　stretched
himself　out；　and　soon　fell　asleep。


When　the　gray　dawn　broke　he　was　on　his　way；　'cross…country；
to　the　village　of　Pine。

During　the　night　the　wind　had　shifted　and　the　rain　had
ceased。　　A　suspicion　of　frost　shone　on　the　grass　in　open
places。　　All　was　gray　　the　parks；　the　glades　　and　deeper；
darker　gray　marked　the　aisles　of　the　forest。　　Shadows　lurked
under　the　trees　and　the　silence　seemed　consistent　with
spectral　forms。　　Then　the　east　kindled；　the　gray　lightened；
the　dreaming　woodland　awoke　to　the　far…reaching　rays　of　a
bursting　red　sun。

This　was　always　the　happiest　moment　of　Dale's　lonely　days；
as　sunset　was　his　saddest。　　He　responded；　and　there　was
something　in　his　blood　that　answered　the　whistle　of　a　stag
from　a　near…by　ridge。　　His　strides　were　long；　noiseless；　and
they　left　dark　trace　where　his　feet　brushed　the　dew…laden
grass。

Dale　pursued　a　zigzag　course　over　the　ridges　to　escape　the
hardest　climbing；　but　the　〃senacas〃　　those　parklike
meadows　so　named　by　Mexican　sheep…herders　　were　as　round
and　level　as　if　they　had　been　made　by　man　in　beautiful
contrast　to　the　dark…green；　rough；　and　rugged　ridges。　　Both
open　senaca　and　dense　wooded　ridge　showed　to　his　quick　eye
an　abundance　of　game。　　The　cracking　of　twigs　and　disappearing
flash　of　gray　among　the　spruces；　a　round　black　lumbering
object；　a　twittering　in　the　brush；　and　stealthy　steps；　were
all　easy　signs　for　Dale　to　read。　　Once；　as　he　noiselessly
emerged　into　a　little　glade；　he　espied　a　red　fox　stalking
some　quarry；　which；　as　he　advanced；　proved　to　be　a　flock　of
partridges。　　They　whirred　up；　brushing　the　branches；　and　the
fox　trotted　away。　　In　every　senaca　Dale　encountered　wild
turkeys　feeding　on　the　seeds　of　the　high　grass。

It　had　always　been　his　custom；　on　his　visits　to　Pine；　to
kill　and　pack　fresh　meat　down　to　several　old　friends；　who
were　glad　to　give　him　lodging。　　And；　hurried　though　he　was
now；　he　did　not　intend　to　make　an　exception　of　this　trip。

At　length　he　got　down　into　the　pine　belt；　where　the　great；
gnarled；　yellow　trees　soared　aloft；　stately；　and　a