the man of the forest-第31部分

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

〃He　got　away　in　the　rocks。　　Rough　country　down　here。

Helen　slid　off　her　horse　and　fell　with　a　little　panting　cry
of　relief。　　She　saw　that　she　was　bloody；　dirty；　disheveled；
and　wringing　wet　with　perspiration。　　Her　riding　habit　was
torn　into　tatters。　　Every　muscle　seemed　to　burn　and　sting；
and　all　her　bones　seemed　broken。　　But　it　was　worth　all　this
to　meet　Dale's　penetrating　glance；　to　see　Bo's　utter；
incredulous　astonishment。

〃Nell　　Rayner！〃　gasped　Bo。

〃If　　my　horse　'd　been　　any　good　　in　the　woods；〃　panted
Helen；　〃I'd　not　lost　　so　much　time　　riding　down　this
mountain。　　And　I'd　caught　you　　beat　you。〃

〃Girl；　did　you　RIDE　down　this　last　slope？〃　queried　Dale。

〃I　sure　did；〃　replied　Helen；　smiling。

〃We　walked　every　step　of　the　way；　and　was　lucky　to　get　down
at　that；〃　responded　Dale；　gravely。　　〃No　horse　should　have
been　ridden　down　there。　　Why；　he　must　have　slid　down。〃

〃We　slid　　yes。　　But　I　stayed　on　him。〃

Bo's　incredulity　changed　to　wondering；　speechless
admiration。　　And　Dale's　rare　smile　changed　his　gravity。

〃I'm　sorry。　　It　was　rash　of　me。　　I　thought　you'd　go　back。　。　。
。　　But　all's　well　that　ends　well。　。　。　。　　Helen；　did　you　wake
up　to…day？〃

She　dropped　her　eyes；　not　caring　to　meet　the　questioning
gaze　upon　her。

〃Maybe　　a　little；〃　she　replied；　and　she　covered　her　face
with　her　hands。　　Remembrance　of　his　questions　　of　his
assurance　that　she　did　not　know　the　real　meaning　of　life　
of　her　stubborn　antagonism　　made　her　somehow　ashamed。　　But
it　was　not　for　long。

〃The　chase　was　great；〃　she　said。　　〃I　did　not　know　myself。　　You
were　right。〃

〃In　how　many　ways　did　you　find　me　right？〃　he　asked。

〃I　think　all　　but　one；〃　she　replied；　with　a　laugh　and　a
shudder。　　〃I'm　near　starved　NOW　　I　was　so　furious　at　Bo
that　I　could　have　choked　her。　　I　faced　that　horrible　brute。　。
。　。　　Oh；　I　know　what　it　is　to　fear　death！　　。　。　。　　I　was　lost
twice　on　the　ride　　absolutely　lost。　　That's　all。〃

Bo　found　her　tongue。　　〃The　last　thing　was　for　you　to　fall
wildly　in　love；　wasn't　it？〃

〃According　to　Dale；　I　must　add　that　to　my　new　experiences　of
to…day　　before　I　can　know　real　life；〃　replied　Helen；
demurely。

The　hunter　turned　away。　　〃Let　us　go；〃　he　said；　soberly。



CHAPTER　XIII

After　more　days　of　riding　the　grassy　level　of　that
wonderfully　gold　and　purple　park；　and　dreamily　listening　by
day　to　the　ever…low　and　ever…changing　murmur　of　the
waterfall；　and　by　night　to　the　wild；　lonely　mourn　of　a
hunting　wolf；　and　climbing　to　the　dizzy　heights　where　the
wind　stung　sweetly；　Helen　Rayner　lost　track　of　time　and
forgot　her　peril。

Roy　Beeman　did　not　return。　　If　occasionally　Dale　mentioned
Roy　and　his　quest；　the　girls　had　little　to　say　beyond　a
recurrent　anxiety　for　the　old　uncle；　and　then　they　forgot
again。　　Paradise　Park；　lived　in　a　little　while　at　that　season
of　the　year；　would　have　claimed　any　one；　and　ever　afterward
haunted　sleeping　or　waking　dreams。

Bo　gave　up　to　the　wild　life；　to　the　horses　and　rides；　to　the
many　pets；　and　especially　to　the　cougar；　Tom。　　The　big　cat
followed　her　everywhere；　played　with　her；　rolling　and
pawing；　kitten…like；　and　he　would　lay　his　massive　head　in
her　lap　to　purr　his　content。　　Bo　had　little　fear　of　anything；
and　here　in　the　wilds　she　soon　lost　that。

Another　of　Dale's　pets　was　a　half…grown　black　bear　named
Muss。　　He　was　abnormally　jealous　of　little　Bud　and　he　had　a
well…developed　hatred　of　Tom；　otherwise　he　was　a　very
good…tempered　bear；　and　enjoyed　Dale's　impartial　regard。
Tom；　however；　chased　Muss　out　of　camp　whenever　Dale's　back
was　turned；　and　sometimes　Muss　stayed　away；　shifting　for
himself。　　With　the　advent　of　Bo；　who　spent　a　good　deal　of
time　on　the　animals；　Muss　manifestly　found　the　camp　more
attractive。　　Whereupon；　Dale　predicted　trouble　between　Tom
and　Muss。

Bo　liked　nothing　better　than　a　rough…and…tumble　frolic　with
the　black　bear。　　Muss　was　not　very　big　nor　very　heavy；　and　in
a　wrestling　bout　with　the　strong　and　wiry　girl　he　sometimes
came　out　second　best。　　It　spoke　well　of　him　that　he　seemed　to
be　careful　not　to　hurt　Bo。　　He　never　bit　or　scratched；　though
he　sometimes　gave　her　sounding　slaps　with　his　paws。
Whereupon；　Bo　would　clench　her　gauntleted　fists　and　sail
into　him　in　earnest。

One　afternoon　before　the　early　supper　they　always　had；　Dale
and　Helen　were　watching　Bo　teasing　the　bear。　　She　was　in　her
most　vixenish　mood；　full　of　life　and　fight。　　Tom　lay　his　long
length　on　the　grass；　watching　with　narrow；　gleaming　eyes。

When　Bo　and　Muss　locked　in　an　embrace　and　went　down　to　roll
over　and　over；　Dale　called　Helen's　attention　to　the　cougar。

〃Tom's　jealous。　　It's　strange　how　animals　are　like　people。
Pretty　soon　I'll　have　to　corral　Muss；　or　there'll　be　a
fight。〃

Helen　could　not　see　anything　wrong　with　Tom　except　that　he
did　not　look　playful。

During　supper…time　both　bear　and　cougar　disappeared；　though
this　was　not　remarked　until　afterward。　　Dale　whistled　and
called；　but　the　rival　pets　did　not　return。　　Next　morning　Tom
was　there；　curled　up　snugly　at　the　foot　of　Bo's　bed；　and
when　she　arose　he　followed　her　around　as　usual。　　But　Muss　did
not　return。

The　circumstance　made　Dale　anxious。　　He　left　camp；　taking　Tom
with　him；　and　upon　returning　stated　that　he　had　followed
Muss's　track　as　far　as　possible；　and　then　had　tried　to　put
Tom　on　the　trail；　but　the　cougar　would　not　or　could　not
follow　it。　　Dale　said　Tom　never　liked　a　bear　trail；　anyway；
cougars　and　bears　being　common　enemies。　　So；　whether　by
accident　or　design；　Bo　lost　one　of　her　playmates。

The　hunter　searched　some　of　the　slopes　next　day　and　even
went　up　on　one　of　the　mountains。　　He　did　not　discover　any
sign　of　Muss；　but　he　said　he　had　found　something　else。

〃Bo　you　girls　want　some　more　real　excitement？〃　he　asked。

Helen　smiled　her　acquiescence　and　Bo　replied　with　one　of　her
forceful　speeches。

〃Don't　mind　bein'　good　an'　scared？〃　he　went　on。

〃You　can't　scare　me；〃　bantered　Bo。　　But　Helen　looked
doubtful。

〃Up　in　one　of　the　parks　I　ran　across　one　of　my　horses　　a
lame　bay　you　haven't　seen。　　Well；　he　had　been　killed　by　that
old　silvertip。　　The　one　we　chased。　　Hadn't　been　dead　over　an
hour。　　Blood　was　still　runnin'　an'　only　a　little　meat　eaten。
That　bear　heard　me　or　saw　me　an'　made　off　into　the　woods。
But　he'll　come　back　to…night。　　I'm　goin'　up　there；　lay　for
him；　an'　kill　him　this　time。　　Reckon　you'd　better　go；　because
I　don't　want　to　leave　you　here　alone　at　night。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　take　Tom？〃　asked　Bo。

〃No。　　The　bear　might　get　his　scent。　　An'；　besides；　Tom　ain't
reliable　on　bears。　　I'll　leave　Pedro　home；　too。〃

When　they　had　hurried　supper；　and　Dale　had　gotten　in　the
horses；　the　sun　had　set　and　the　valley　was　shadowing　low
down；　while　the　ramparts　were　still　golden。　　The　long　zigzag
trail　Dale　followed　up　the　slope　took　nearly　an　hour　to
climb；　so　that　when　that　was　surmounted　and　he　led　out　of
the　woods　twilight　had　fallen。　　A　rolling　park　extended　as
far　as　Helen　could　see；　bordered　by　forest　that　in　places
sent　out　straggling　stretches　of　trees。　　Here　and　there；　like
islands；　were　isolated　patches　of　timber。

At　ten　thousand　feet　elevation　the　twilight　of　this　clear
and　cold　night　was　a　rich　and　rare　atmospheric　effect。　　It
looked　as　if　it　was　seen　through　perfectly　clear　smoked
glass。　　Objects　were　singularly　visible；　even　at　long　range；
and　seemed　magnified。　　In　the　west；　where　the　afterglow　of
sunset　lingered　over　the　dark；　ragged；　spruce…speared
horizon…line；　there　was　such　a　transparent　golden　line
melting　into　vivid　star…fired　blue　that　Helen　could　only
gaze　and　gaze　in　wondering　admiration。

Dale　spurred　his　horse　into　a　lope　and　the　spirited　mounts
of　the　girls　kept　up　with　him。　　The　ground　was　rough；　with
tufts　of　grass　growing　close　together；　yet　the　horses　did
not　stumble。　　Their　action　and　snorting　betrayed　excitement。
Dale　led　around　several　clumps　of　timber；　up　a　long　grassy
swale；　and　then　straight　westward　across　an　open　flat　toward
where　the　dark…fringed　forest…line　raised　itself　wild　and
clear　against　the　cold　sky。　　The　horses　went　swiftly；　and　the
wind　cut　like　a　blade　of　ice。　　Helen　could　barely　get　her
breath　and　she　panted　as　if　she　had　just　climbed　a　laborsome
hill。　　The　stars　began　to　blink　out　of　the　blue；　and　the　gold
paled　somewhat；　and　yet　twilight　lingered。　　It　seemed　long
across　that　flat；　but　really　was　short。　　Coming　to　a　thin
line　of　trees　that　led　down　over　a　slope　to　a　deeper　but
still　isolated　patch　of　woods；　Dale　dismounted　and　tied　his
horse。　　When　the　girls　got　off　he　haltered　their　horses　also。

〃Stick　close　to　me　an'　put　your　feet　down　easy；〃　he
whispered。　　How　tall　and　dark　he　loomed　in　the　fading　light！
Helen　thrilled；　as　she　had　often　of　late；　at　the　strange；
potential　force　of　the　man。　　Stepping　softly；　without　the
least　sound；　Dale　entered　this　straggly　bit　of　woods；　which
appeared　to　have　narrow　byways　and　nooks。　　Then　presently　he
came　to　the　top　of　a　well…wooded　slope；　dark　as　pitch；
apparently。　　But　as　Helen　followed　she　perceived　the　trees；
and　they　were　thin　dwarf　spruce；　partly　dead。　　The　slope　was
soft　and　springy；　easy　to　step　upon　without　noise。　　Dale　went
so　cautiously　that　Helen　could　not　hear　him；　and　sometimes
in　the　gloom　she　could　not　see　him。　　Then　the　chill　thrills
ran　over　her。　　Bo　kept　holding　on　to　Helen；　which　fact
hampered　Helen　as　well　as　worked　somewhat　to　disprove　Bo's
boast。　　At　last　level　ground　was　reached。　　Helen　made　out　a
light…gray　background　crossed　by　black　bars。　　Another　glance
showed　this　to　be　the　dark　tree…trunks　against　the　open
park。

Dale　halted；　and　with　a　touch　brought　Helen　to　a　straining
pause。　　He　was　listening。　　It　seemed　wonderful　to　watch　him
bend　his　head　and　stand　as　silent　and　motionless　as　one　of
the　dark　trees。

〃He's　not　there　yet；〃　Dale　whispered；　and　he　stepped　forward
very　slowly。　　Helen　and　Bo　began　to　come　up　against　thin　dead
branches　that　were　invisible　and　then　cracked。　　Then　Dale
knelt　down；　seemed　to　melt　into　the　ground。

〃You'll　have　to　crawl；〃　he　whispered。

How　strange　and　thrilling　that　was　for　Helen；　and　hard　work！
The　ground　bore　twigs　and　dead　branches