the man of the forest-第30部分

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horse。　　She　stood　up　very　dizzy　and　weak。　　Thought　of　Bo　then
seemed　to　revive　her；　to　shock　different　life　and　feeling
throughout　all　her　cold　extremities。　　She　listened。

She　heard　a　thudding　of　hoofs　down　the　slope；　then　Dale's
clear；　strong　call。　　She　answered。　　It　appeared　long　before　he
burst　out　of　the　woods；　riding　hard　and　leading　her　horse。
In　that　time　she　recovered　fully；　and　when　he　reached　her；
to　put　a　sudden　halt　upon　the　fiery　Ranger；　she　caught　the
bridle　he　threw　and　swiftly　mounted　her　horse。　　The　feel　of
the　saddle　seemed　different。　　Dale's　piercing　gray　glance
thrilled　her　strangely。

〃You're　white。　　Are　you　hurt？〃　he　said。

〃No。　　I　was　scared。〃

〃But　he　threw　you？〃

〃Yes；　he　certainly　threw　me。〃

〃What　happened？〃

〃We　heard　the　hound　and　we　rode　along　the　timber。　　Then　we
saw　the　bear　　a　monster　　white　　coated　〃

〃I　know。　　It's　a　grizzly。　　He　killed　the　colt　　your　pet。
Hurry　now。　　What　about　Bo？〃

〃Pedro　was　fighting　the　bear。　　Bo　said　he'd　be　killed。　　She
rode　right　up　here。　　My　horse　followed。　　I　couldn't　have
stopped　him。　　But　we　lost　Bo。　　Right　there　the　bear　came　out。
He　roared。　　My　horse　threw　me　and　ran　off。　　Pedro's　barking
saved　me　　my　life；　I　think。　　Oh！　　that　was　awful！　　Then　the
bear　went　up　　there。　。　。　。　　And　you　came。〃

〃Bo's　followin'　the　hound！〃　ejaculated　Dale。　　And；　lifting
his　hands　to　his　mouth；　he　sent　out　a　stentorian　yell　that
rolled　up　the　slope；　rang　against　the　cliffs；　pealed　and
broke　and　died　away。　　Then　he　waited；　listening。　　From　far　up
the　slope　came　a　faint；　wild　cry；　high…pitched　and　sweet；　to
create　strange　echoes；　floating　away　to　die　in　the　ravines。

〃She's　after　him！〃　declared　Dale；　grimly。

〃Bo's　got　your　rifle；〃　said　Helen。　　〃Oh；　we　must　hurry。〃

〃You　go　back；〃　ordered　Dale；　wheeling　his　horse。

〃No！〃　Helen　felt　that　word　leave　her　lips　with　the　force　of
a　bullet。

Dale　spurred　Ranger　and　took　to　the　open　slope。　　Helen　kept
at　his　heels　until　timber　was　reached。　　Here　a　steep　trail
led　up。　　Dale　dismounted。

〃Horse　tracks　　bear　tracks　　dog　tracks；〃　he　said；
bending　over。　　〃We'll　have　to　walk　up　here。　　It'll　save　our
horses　an'　maybe　time；　too。〃

〃Is　Bo　riding　up　there？〃　asked　Helen；　eying　the　steep
ascent。

〃She　sure　is。〃　With　that　Dale　started　up；　leading　his　horse。
Helen　followed。　　It　was　rough　and　hard　work。　　She　was　lightly
clad；　yet　soon　she　was　hot；　laboring；　and　her　heart　began　to
hurt。　　When　Dale　halted　to　rest　Helen　was　just　ready　to　drop。
The　baying　of　the　hound；　though　infrequent；　inspirited　her。
But　presently　that　sound　was　lost。　　Dale　said　bear　and　hound
had　gone　over　the　ridge　and　as　soon　as　the　top　was　gained　he
would　hear　them　again。

〃Look　there；〃　he　said；　presently；　pointing　to　fresh　tracks；
larger　than　those　made　by　Bo's　mustang。　　〃Elk　tracks。　　We've
scared　a　big　bull　an'　he's　right　ahead　of　us。　　Look　sharp　an'
you'll　see　him。〃

Helen　never　climbed　so　hard　and　fast　before；　and　when　they
reached　the　ridge…top　she　was　all　tuckered　out。　　It　was　all
she　could　do　to　get　on　her　horse。　　Dale　led　along　the　crest
of　this　wooded　ridge　toward　the　western　end；　which　was
considerably　higher。　　In　places　open　rocky　ground　split　the
green　timber。　　Dale　pointed　toward　a　promontory。

Helen　saw　a　splendid　elk　silhouetted　against　the　sky。　　He　was
a　light　gray　over　all　his　hindquarters；　with　shoulders　and
head　black。　　His　ponderous；　wide…spread　antlers　towered　over
him；　adding　to　the　wildness　of　his　magnificent　poise　as　he
stood　there；　looking　down　into　the　valley；　no　doubt
listening　for　the　bay　of　the　hound。　　When　he　heard　Dale's
horse　he　gave　one　bound；　gracefully　and　wonderfully　carrying
his　antlers；　to　disappear　in　the　green。

Again　on　a　bare　patch　of　ground　Dale　pointed　down。　　Helen　saw
big　round　tracks；　toeing　in　a　little；　that　gave　her　a　chill。
She　knew　these　were　grizzly　tracks。

Hard　riding　was　not　possible　on　this　ridge　crest；　a　fact
that　gave　Helen　time　to　catch　her　breath。　　At　length；　coming
out　upon　the　very　summit　of　the　mountain；　Dale　heard　the
hound。　　Helen's　eyes　feasted　afar　upon　a　wild　scene　of　rugged
grandeur；　before　she　looked　down　on　this　western　slope　at
her　feet　to　see　bare；　gradual　descent；　leading　down　to
sparsely　wooded　bench　and　on　to　deep…green　canuon。

〃Ride　hard　now！〃　yelled　Dale。　　〃I　see　Bo；　an'　I'll　have　to
ride　to　catch　her。〃

Dale　spurred　down　the　slope。　　Helen　rode　in　his　tracks　and；
though　she　plunged　so　fast　that　she　felt　her　hair　stand　up
with　fright；　she　saw　him　draw　away　from　her。　　Sometimes　her
horse　slid　on　his　haunches　for　a　few　yards；　and　at　these
hazardous　moments　she　got　her　feet　out　of　the　stirrups　so　as
to　fall　free　from　him　if　he　went　down。　　She　let　him　choose
the　way；　while　she　gazed　ahead　at　Dale；　and　then　farther　on；
in　the　hope　of　seeing　Bo。　　At　last　she　was　rewarded。　　Far　Down
the　wooded　bench　she　saw　a　gray　flash　of　the　little　mustang
and　a　bright　glint　of　Bo's　hair。　　Her　heart　swelled。　　Dale
would　soon　overhaul　Bo　and　come　between　her　and　peril。　　And
on　the　instant；　though　Helen　was　unconscious　of　it　then；　a
remarkable　change　came　over　her　spirit。　　Fear　left　her。　　And　a
hot；　exalting；　incomprehensible　something　took　possession　of
her。

She　let　the　horse　run；　and　when　he　had　plunged　to　the　foot
of　that　slope　of　soft　ground　he　broke　out　across　the　open
bench　at　a　pace　that　made　the　wind　bite　Helen's　cheeks　and
roar　in　her　ears。　　She　lost　sight　of　Dale。　　It　gave　her　a
strange；　grim　exultance。　　She　bent　her　eager　gaze　to　find　the
tracks　of　his　horse；　and　she　found　them。　　Also　she　made　out
the　tracks　of　Bo's　mustang　and　the　bear　and　the　hound。　　Her
horse；　scenting　game；　perhaps；　and　afraid　to　be　left　alone；
settled　into　a　fleet　and　powerful　stride；　sailing　over　logs
and　brush。　　That　open　bench　had　looked　short；　but　it　was
long；　and　Helen　rode　down　the　gradual　descent　at　breakneck
speed。　　She　would　not　be　left　behind。　　She　had　awakened　to　a
heedlessness　of　risk。　　Something　burned　steadily　within　her。
A　grim；　hard　anger　of　joy！　　When　she　saw；　far　down　another
open；　gradual　descent；　that　Dale　had　passed　Bo　and　that　Bo
was　riding　the　little　mustang　as　never　before；　then　Helen
flamed　with　a　madness　to　catch　her；　to　beat　her　in　that
wonderful　chase；　to　show　her　and　Dale　what　there　really　was
in　the　depths　of　Helen　Rayner。

Her　ambition　was　to　be　short…lived；　she　divined　from　the　lay
of　the　land　ahead；　but　the　ride　she　lived　then　for　a　flying
mile　was　something　that　would　always　blanch　her　cheeks　and
prick　her　skin　in　remembrance。

The　open　ground　was　only　too　short。　　That　thundering　pace
soon　brought　Helen's　horse　to　the　timber。　　Here　it　took　all
her　strength　to　check　his　headlong　flight　over　deadfalls　and
between　small　jack…pines。　　Helen　lost　sight　of　Bo；　and　she
realized　it　would　take　all　her　wits　to　keep　from　getting
lost。　　She　had　to　follow　the　trail；　and　in　some　places　it　was
hard　to　see　from　horseback。

Besides；　her　horse　was　mettlesome；　thoroughly　aroused；　and
he　wanted　a　free　rein　and　his　own　way。　　Helen　tried　that；
only　to　lose　the　trail　and　to　get　sundry　knocks　from　trees
and　branches。　　She　could　not　hear　the　hound；　nor　Dale。　　The
pines　were　small；　close　together；　and　tough。　　They　were　hard
to　bend。　　Helen　hurt　her　hands；　scratched　her　face；　barked
her　knees。　　The　horse　formed　a　habit　suddenly　of　deciding　to
go　the　way　he　liked　instead　of　the　way　Helen　guided　him；　and
when　he　plunged　between　saplings　too　close　to　permit　easy
passage　it　was　exceedingly　hard　on　her。　　That　did　not　make
any　difference　to　Helen。　　Once　worked　into　a　frenzy；　her
blood　stayed　at　high　pressure。　　She　did　not　argue　with
herself　about　a　need　of　desperate　hurry。　　Even　a　blow　on　the
head　that　nearly　blinded　her　did　not　in　the　least　retard
her。　　The　horse　could　hardly　be　held；　and　not　at　all　in　the
few　open　places。

At　last　Helen　reached　another　slope。　　Coming　out　upon　canuon
rim；　she　heard　Dale's　clear　call；　far　down；　and　Bo's
answering　peal；　high　and　piercing；　with　its　note　of　exultant
wildness。　　Helen　also　heard　the　bear　and　the　hound　fighting
at　the　bottom　of　this　canuon。

Here　Helen　again　missed　the　tracks　made　by　Dale　and　Bo。　　The
descent　looked　impassable。　　She　rode　back　along　the　rim；　then
forward。　　Finally　she　found　where　the　ground　had　been　plowed
deep　by　hoofs；　down　over　little　banks。　　Helen's　horse　balked
at　these　jumps。　　When　she　goaded　him　over　them　she　went
forward　on　his　neck。　　It　seemed　like　riding　straight
downhill。　　The　mad　spirit　of　that　chase　grew　more　stingingly
keen　to　Helen　as　the　obstacles　grew。　　Then；　once　more　the　bay
of　the　hound　and　the　bawl　of　the　bear　made　a　demon　of　her
horse。　　He　snorted　a　shrill　defiance。　　He　plunged　with　fore
hoofs　in　the　air。　　He　slid　and　broke　a　way　down　the　steep；
soft　banks；　through　the　thick　brush　and　thick　clusters　of
saplings；　sending　loose　rocks　and　earth　into　avalanches
ahead　of　him。　　He　fell　over　one　bank；　but　a　thicket　of　aspens
upheld　him　so　that　he　rebounded　and　gained　his　feet。　　The
sounds　of　fight　ceased；　but　Dale's　thrilling　call　floated　up
on　the　pine…scented　air。

Before　Helen　realized　it　she　was　at　the　foot　of　the　slope；
in　a　narrow　canuon…bed；　full　of　rocks　and　trees；　with　a　soft
roar　of　running　water　filling　her　ears。　　Tracks　were
everywhere；　and　when　she　came　to　the　first　open　place　she
saw　where　the　grizzly　had　plunged　off　a　sandy　bar　into　the
water。　　Here　he　had　fought　Pedro。　　Signs　of　that　battle　were
easy　to　read。　　Helen　saw　where　his　huge　tracks；　still　wet；
led　up　the　opposite　sandy　bank。

Then　down…stream　Helen　did　some　more　reckless　and　splendid
riding。　　On　level　ground　the　horse　was　great。　　Once　he　leaped
clear　across　the　brook。　　Every　plunge；　every　turn　Helen
expected　to　come　upon　Dale　and　Bo　facing　the　bear。　　The　canuon
narrowed；　the　stream…bed　deepened。　　She　had　to　slow　down　to
get　through　the　trees　and　rocks。　　Quite　unexpectedly　she　rode
pell…mell　upon　Dale　and　Bo　and　the　panting　Pedro。　　Her　horse
plunged　to　a　halt；　answering　the　shrill　neighs　of　the　other
horses。

Dale　gazed　in　admiring　amazement　at　Helen。

〃Say；　did　you　meet　the　bear　again？〃　he　queried；　blankly。

〃No。　　Didn't　　you　　kill　him？〃　panted　Helen；　slowly
sagging　in　her　saddle。

〃He　got　away　in　t