the man of the forest-第12章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
like an Indian。 Old Al hates lazy men。 Then we fell out
or he fell out because he believed a tame lion of mine
had killed some of his sheep。 An' now I reckon that Tom
might have done it。 I tried to lead up to this deal of
Beasley's about you； but old Al wouldn't listen。 He's cross
very cross。 An' when I tried to tell him； why； he went
right out of his head。 Sent me off the ranch。 Now I reckon
you begin to see what a pickle I was in。 Finally I went to
four friends I could trust。 They're Mormon boys brothers。
That's Joe out on top； with the driver。 I told them all
about Beasley's deal an' asked them to help me。 So we
planned to beat Anson an' his gang to Magdalena。 It happens
that Beasley is as strong in Magdalena as he is in Pine。 An'
we had to go careful。 But the boys had a couple of friends
here Mormons； too； who agreed to help us。 They had this
old stage。 。 。 。 An' here you are。〃 Dale spread out his big
hands and looked gravely at Helen and then at Bo。
〃You're perfectly splendid！〃 cried Bo； ringingly。 She was
white； her fingers were clenched； her eyes blazed。
Dale appeared startled out of his gravity； and surprised；
then pleased。 A smile made his face like a boy's。 Helen felt
her body all rigid； yet slightly trembling。 Her hands were
cold。 The horror of this revelation held her speechless。 But
in her heart she echoed Bo's exclamation of admiration and
gratitude。
〃So far； then；〃 resumed Dale； with a heavy breath of relief。
〃No wonder you're upset。 I've a blunt way of talkin'。 。 。 。
Now we've thirty miles to ride on this Snowdrop road before
we can turn off。 To…day sometime the rest of the boys
Roy； John； an' Hal were to leave Show Down； which's a
town farther on from Snowdrop。 They have my horses an' packs
besides their own。 Somewhere on the road we'll meet them
to…night； maybe or tomorrow。 I hope not to…night； because
that 'd mean Anson's gang was ridin' in to Magdalena。〃
Helen wrung her hands helplessly。
〃Oh； have I no courage？〃 she whispered。
〃Nell； I'm as scared as you are；〃 said Bo； consolingly；
embracing her sister。
〃I reckon that's natural；〃 said Dale； as if excusing them。
〃But； scared or not； you both brace up。 It's a bad job。 But
I've done my best。 An' you'll be safer with me an' the
Beeman boys than you'd be in Magdalena； or anywhere else；
except your uncle's。〃
〃Mr。 Mr。 Dale；〃 faltered Helen； with her tears falling；
〃don't think me a coward or or ungrateful。 I'm
neither。 It's only I'm so so shocked。 After all we hoped
and expected this this is such a a terrible
surprise。〃
〃Never mind； Nell dear。 Let's take what comes；〃 murmured Bo。
〃That's the talk；〃 said Dale。 〃You see； I've come right out
with the worst。 Maybe we'll get through easy。 When we meet
the boys we'll take to the horses an' the trails。 Can you
ride？〃
〃Bo has been used to horses all her life and I ride fairly
well；〃 responded Helen。 The idea of riding quickened her
spirit。
〃Good！ We may have some hard ridin' before I get you up to
Pine。 Hello！ What's that？〃
Above the creaking； rattling； rolling roar of the stage
Helen heard a rapid beat of hoofs。 A horse flashed by；
galloping hard。
Dale opened the door and peered out。 The stage rolled to a
halt。 He stepped down and gazed ahead。
〃Joe； who was that？〃 he queried。
〃Nary me。 An' Bill didn't know him； either；〃 replied Joe。 〃I
seen him 'way back。 He was ridin' some。 An' he slowed up
goin' past us。 Now he's runnin' again。〃
Dale shook his head as if he did not like the circumstances。
〃Milt； he'll never get by Roy on this road；〃 said Joe。
Maybe he'll get by before Roy strikes in on the road。〃
〃It ain't likely。〃
Helen could not restrain her fears。 〃Mr。 Dale； you think he
was a messenger going ahead to post that that Anson
gang？〃
〃He might be；〃 replied Dale； simply。
Then the young man called Joe leaned out from the seat above
and called： 〃Miss Helen； don't you worry。 Thet fellar is
more liable to stop lead than anythin' else。〃
His words； meant to be kind and reassuring； were almost as
sinister to Helen as the menace to her own life。 Long had
she known how cheap life was held in the West； but she had
only known it abstractly； and she had never let the fact
remain before her consciousness。 This cheerful young man
spoke calmly of spilling blood in her behalf。 The thought it
roused was tragic for bloodshed was insupportable to her
and then the thrills which followed were so new； strange；
bold； and tingling that they were revolting。 Helen grew
conscious of unplumbed depths； of instincts at which she was
amazed and ashamed。
〃Joe； hand down that basket of grub the small one with
the canteen；〃 said Dale； reaching out a long arm。 Presently
he placed a cloth…covered basket inside the stage。 〃Girls；
eat all you want an' then some。〃
〃We have a basket half full yet；〃 replied Helen。
〃You'll need it all before we get to Pine。 。 。 。 Now； I'll
ride up on top with the boys an' eat my supper。 It'll be
dark； presently； an' we'll stop often to listen。 But don't
be scared。〃
With that he took his rifle and； closing the door； clambered
up to the driver's seat。 Then the stage lurched again and
began to roll along。
Not the least thing to wonder at of this eventful evening
was the way Bo reached for the basket of food。 Helen simply
stared at her。
〃Bo； you CAN'T EAT！〃 she exclaimed。
〃I should smile I can；〃 replied that practical young lady。
〃And you're going to if I have to stuff things in your
mouth。 Where's your wits； Nell？ He said we must eat。 That
means our strength is going to have some pretty severe
trials。 。 。 。 Gee！ it's all great just like a story！ The
unexpected why； he looks like a prince turned hunter！
long； dark； stage journey held up fight escape
wild ride on horses woods and camps and wild places
pursued hidden in the forest more hard rides then
safe at the ranch。 And of course he falls madly in love with
me no； you； for I'll be true to my Las Vegas lover 〃
〃Hush； silly！ Bo； tell me； aren't you SCARED？〃
〃Scared！ I'm scared stiff。 But if Western girls stand such
things； we can。 No Western girl is going to beat ME！〃
That brought Helen to a realization of the brave place she
had given herself in dreams； and she was at once ashamed of
herself and wildly proud of this little sister。
〃Bo； thank Heaven I brought you with me！〃 exclaimed Helen；
fervently。 〃I'll eat if it chokes me。〃
Whereupon she found herself actually hungry； and while she
ate she glanced out of the stage； first from one side and
then from the other。 These windows had no glass and they let
the cool night air blow in。 The sun had long since sunk。 Out
to the west； where a bold； black horizon…line swept away
endlessly； the sky was clear gold； shading to yellow and
blue above。 Stars were out； pale and wan； but growing
brighter。 The earth appeared bare and heaving； like a calm
sea。 The wind bore a fragrance new to Helen； acridly sweet
and clean； and it was so cold it made her fingers numb。
〃I heard some animal yelp；〃 said Bo； suddenly； and she
listened with head poised。
But Helen heard nothing save the steady clip…clop of hoofs；
the clink of chains； the creak and rattle of the old stage；
and occasionally the low voices of the men above。
When the girls had satisfied hunger and thirst； night had
settled down black。 They pulled the cloaks up over them； and
close together leaned back in a corner of the seat and
talked in whispers。 Helen did not have much to say； but Bo
was talkative。
〃This beats me！〃 she said once； after an interval。 〃Where
are we； Nell？ Those men up there are Mormons。 Maybe they are
abducting us！〃
〃Mr。 Dale isn't a Mormon；〃 replied Helen。
〃How do you know？〃
〃I could tell by the way he spoke of his friends。〃
〃Well； I wish it wasn't so dark。 I'm not afraid of men in
daylight。 。 。 。 Nell； did you ever see such a wonderful
looking fellow？ What'd they call him？ Milt Milt Dale。 He
said he lived in the woods。 If I hadn't fallen in love with
that cowboy who called me well； I'd be a goner now。〃
After an in
