the man of the forest-第13章

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that　cowboy　who　called　me　　well；　I'd　be　a　goner　now。〃

After　an　interval　of　silence　Bo　whispered；　startlingly；
〃Wonder　if　Harve　Riggs　is　following　us　now？〃

〃Of　course　he　is；〃　replied　Helen；　hopelessly。

〃He'd　better　look　out。　　Why；　Nell；　he　never　saw　　he　never
　what　did　Uncle　Al　used　to　call　it？　　　sav　　savvied　
that's　it。　　Riggs　never　savvied　that　hunter。　　But　I　did；　you
bet。〃

〃Savvied！　　What　do　you　mean；　Bo？〃

〃I　mean　that　long…haired　galoot　never　saw　his　real　danger。
But　I　felt　it。　　Something　went　light　inside　me。　　Dale　never
took　him　seriously　at　all。〃

〃Riggs　will　turn　up　at　Uncle　Al's；　sure　as　I'm　born；〃　said
Helen。

〃Let　him　turn；〃　replied　Bo；　contemptuously。　　〃Nell；　don't　you
ever　bother　your　head　again　about　him。　　I'll　bet　they're　all
men　out　here。　　And　I　wouldn't　be　in　Harve　Riggs's　boots　for　a
lot。〃

After　that　Bo　talked　of　her　uncle　and　his　fatal　illness；　and
from　that　she　drifted　back　to　the　loved　ones　at　home；　now
seemingly　at　the　other　side　of　the　world；　and　then　she　broke
down　and　cried；　after　which　she　fell　asleep　on　Helen's
shoulder。

But　Helen　could　not　have　fallen　asleep　if　she　had　wanted　to。

She　had　always；　since　she　could　remember；　longed　for　a
moving；　active　life；　and　'or　want　of　a　better　idea　she　had
chosen　to　dream　of　gipsies。　　And　now　it　struck　her　grimly
that；　if　these　first　few　hours　of　her　advent　in　the　West
were　forecasts　of　the　future；　she　was　destined　to　have　her
longings　more　than　fulfilled。

Presently　the　stage　rolled　slower　and　slower；　until　it　came
to　a　halt。　　Then　the　horses　heaved；　the　harnesses　clinked；
the　men　whispered。　　Otherwise　there　was　an　intense　quiet。　　She
looked　out；　expecting　to　find　it　pitch…dark。　　It　was　black；
yet　a　transparent　blackness。　　To　her　surprise　she　could　see　a
long　way。　　A　shooting…star　electrified　her。　　The　men　were
listening。　　She　listened；　too；　but　beyond　the　slight　sounds
about　the　stage　she　heard　nothing。　　Presently　the　driver
clucked　to　his　horses；　and　travel　was　resumed。

For　a　while　the　stage　rolled　on　rapidly；　evidently　downhill；
swaying　from　side　to　side；　and　rattling　as　if　about　to　fall
to　pieces。　　Then　it　slowed　on　a　level；　and　again　it　halted
for　a　few　moments；　and　once　more　in　motion　it　began　a
laborsome　climb。　　Helen　imagined　miles　had　been　covered。　　The
desert　appeared　to　heave　into　billows；　growing　rougher；　and
dark；　round　bushes　dimly　stood　out。　　The　road　grew　uneven　and
rocky；　and　when　the　stage　began　another　descent　its　violent
rocking　jolted　Bo　out　of　her　sleep　and　in　fact　almost　out　of
Helen's　arms。

〃Where　am　I？〃　asked　Bo；　dazedly。

〃Bo；　you're　having　your　heart's　desire；　but　I　can't　tell　you
where　you　are；〃　replied　Helen。

Bo　awakened　thoroughly；　which　fact　was　now　no　wonder；
considering　the　jostling　of　the　old　stage。

〃Hold　on　to　me；　Nell！　　。　。　。　　Is　it　a　runaway？〃

〃We've　come　about　a　thousand　miles　like　this；　I　think；〃
replied　Helen。　　〃I've　not　a　whole　bone　in　my　body。〃

Bo　peered　out　of　the　window。

〃Oh；　how　dark　and　lonesome！　　But　it'd　be　nice　if　it　wasn't　so
cold。　　I'm　freezing。〃

〃I　thought　you　loved　cold　air；〃　taunted　Helen。

〃Say；　Nell；　you　begin　to　talk　like　yourself；〃　responded　Bo。

It　was　difficult　to　hold　on　to　the　stage　and　each　other　and
the　cloak　all　at　once；　but　they　succeeded；　except　in　the
roughest　places；　when　from　time　to　time　they　were　bounced
around。　　Bo　sustained　a　sharp　rap　on　the　head。

〃Oooooo！〃　she　moaned。　　〃Nell　Rayner；　I'll　never　forgive　you
for　fetching　me　on　this　awful　trip。〃

〃Just　think　of　your　handsome　Las　Vegas　cowboy；〃　replied
Helen。

Either　this　remark　subdued　Bo　or　the　suggestion　sufficed　to
reconcile　her　to　the　hardships　of　the　ride。

Meanwhile；　as　they　talked　and　maintained　silence　and　tried
to　sleep；　the　driver　of　the　stage　kept　at　his　task　after　the
manner　of　Western　men　who　knew　how　to　get　the　best　out　of
horses　and　bad　roads　and　distance。

By　and　by　the　stage　halted　again　and　remained　at　a
standstill　for　so　long；　with　the　men　whispering　on　top；　that
Helen　and　Bo　were　roused　to　apprehension。

Suddenly　a　sharp　whistle　came　from　the　darkness　ahead。

〃Thet's　Roy；〃　said　Joe　Beeman；　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　reckon。　　An'　meetin'　us　so　quick　looks　bad；〃　replied　Dale。
〃Drive　on；　Bill。〃

〃Mebbe　it　seems　quick　to　you；〃　muttered　the　driver；　but　if
we　hain't　come　thirty　mile；　an'　if　thet　ridge　thar　hain't
your　turnin'…off　place；　why；　I　don't　know　nothin'。〃

The　stage　rolled　on　a　little　farther；　while　Helen　and　Bo　sat
clasping　each　other　tight；　wondering　with　bated　breath　what
was　to　be　the　next　thing　to　happen。

Then　once　more　they　were　at　a　standstill。　　Helen　heard　the
thud　of　boots　striking　the　ground；　and　the　snorts　of　horses。

〃Nell；　I　see　horses；〃　whispered　Bo；　excitedly。　　〃There；　to
the　side　of　the　road　。　。　。　　and　here　comes　a　man。　。　。　。　　Oh；
if　he　shouldn't　be　the　one　they're　expecting！〃

Helen　peered　out　to　see　a　tall；　dark　form；　moving　silently；
and　beyond　it　a　vague　outline　of　horses；　and　then　pale
gleams　of　what　must　have　been　pack…loads。

Dale　loomed　up；　and　met　the　stranger　in　the　road。

〃Howdy；　Milt？　　You　got　the　girl　sure；　or　you　wouldn't　be
here；〃　said　a　low　voice。

〃Roy；　I've　got　two　girls　　sisters；〃　replied　Dale。

The　man　Roy　whistled　softly　under　his　breath。　　Then　another
lean；　rangy　form　strode　out　of　the　darkness；　and　was　met　by
Dale。

〃Now；　boys　　how　about　Anson's　gang？〃　queried　Dale。

〃At　Snowdrop；　drinkin'　an'　quarrelin'。　　Reckon　they'll　leave
there　about　daybreak；〃　replied　Roy。

〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃Mebbe　a　couple　of　hours。〃

〃Any　horse　go　by？〃

〃No。〃

〃Roy；　a　strange　rider　passed　us　before　dark。　　He　was　hittin'
the　road。　　An'　he's　got　by　here　before　you　came。〃

〃I　don't　like　thet　news；〃　replied　Roy；　tersely。　　〃Let's
rustle。　　With　girls　on　hossback　you'll　need　all　the　start　you
can　get。　　Hey；　John？〃

〃Snake　Anson　shore　can　foller　hoss　tracks；〃　replied　the
third　man。

〃Milt；　say　the　word；〃　went　on　Roy；　as　he　looked　up　at　the
stars。　　〃Daylight　not　far　away。　　Here's　the　forks　of　the　road；
an'　your　hosses；　an'　our　outfit。　　You　can　be　in　the　pines　by
sunup。〃

In　the　silence　that　ensued　Helen　heard　the　throb　of　her
heart　and　the　panting　little　breaths　of　her　sister。　　They
both　peered　out；　hands　clenched　together；　watching　and
listening　in　strained　attention。

〃It's　possible　that　rider　last　night　wasn't　a　messenger　to
Anson；〃　said　Dale。　　〃In　that　case　Anson　won't　make　anythin'
of　our　wheel　tracks　or　horse　tracks。　　He'll　go　right　on　to
meet　the　regular　stage。　　Bill；　can　you　go　back　an'　meet　the
stage　comin'　before　Anson　does？〃

〃Wal；　I　reckon　so　　an'　take　it　easy　at　thet；〃　replied
Bill。

〃All　right；〃　continued　Dale；　instantly。　　〃John；　you　an'　Joe
an'　Hal　ride　back　to　meet　the　regular　stage。　　An'　when　you
meet　it　get　on　an'　be　on　it　when　Anson　holds　it　up。〃

〃Thet's　shore　agreeable　to　me；〃　drawled　John。

〃I'd　like　to　be　on　it；　too；〃　said　Roy；　grimly。

〃No。　　I'll　need　you　till　I'm　safe　in　the　woods。　　Bill；　hand
down　the　bags。　　An'　you；　Roy；　help　me　pack　them。　　Did　you　get
all　the　supplies　I　wanted？〃

〃Shore　did。　　If　the　young　ladies　ain't　powerful　particular
you　can　feed　them　well　for　a　couple　of　months。〃

Dale　wheeled　and；　striding　to　the　stage；　he　opened　the　door。

〃Girls；　you're　not　asleep？　　Come；〃　he　called。

Bo　stepped　down　first。

〃I　was　asleep　till　this　　this　vehicle　fell　off　the　road
back　a　ways；〃　she　replied。

Roy　Beeman's　low　laugh　was　significant。　　He　took　off　his
sombrero　and　stood　silent。　　The　old　driver　smothered　a　loud
guffaw。

〃Veehicle！　　Wal；　I'll　be　doggoned！　　Joe；　did　you　hear　thet？
All　the　spunky　gurls　ain't　born　out　West。〃

As　Helen　followed　with　cloak　and　bag　Roy　assisted　her；　and
she　encountered　keen　eyes　upon　her　face。　　He　seemed　both
gentle　and　respectful；　and　she　felt　his　solicitude。　　His
heavy　gun；　swinging　low；　struck　her　as　she　stepped　down。

Dale　reached　into　the　stage　and　hauled　out　baskets　and　bags。
These　he　set　down　on　the　ground。

〃Turn　around；　Bill；　an'　go　along　with　you。　　John　an'　Hal　will
follow　presently；〃　ordered　Dale。

〃Wal；　gurls；〃　said；　looking　down　upon　them；　〃I　was　shore
powerful　glad　to　meet　you…all。　　An'　I'm　ashamed　of　my　c