the man of the forest-第14章
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〃Wal； gurls；〃 said； looking down upon them； 〃I was shore
powerful glad to meet you…all。 An' I'm ashamed of my country
offerin' two sich purty gurls insults an' low…down
tricks。 But shore you'll go through safe now。 You couldn't
be in better company fer ridin' or huntin' or marryin' or
gittin' religion 〃
〃Shut up； you old grizzly！〃 broke in Dale； sharply。
〃Haw！ Haw！ Good…by； gurls； an' good luck！〃 ended Bill； as he
began to whip the reins。
Bo said good…by quite distinctly； but Helen could only
murmur hers。 The old driver seemed a friend。
Then the horses wheeled and stamped； the stage careened and
creaked； presently to roll out of sight in the gloom。
〃You're shiverin'；〃 said Dale； suddenly； looking down upon
Helen。 She felt his big； hard hand clasp hers。 〃Cold as
ice！〃
〃I am c…cold；〃 replied Helen。 〃I guess we're not warmly
dressed。〃
〃Nell； we roasted all day； and now we're freezing；〃 declared
Bo。 〃I didn't know it was winter at night out here。〃
〃Miss； haven't you some warm gloves an' a coat？〃 asked Roy；
anxiously。 〃It 'ain't begun to get cold yet。〃
〃Nell； we've heavy gloves； riding…suits and boots all
fine and new in this black bag；〃 said Bo；
enthusiastically kicking a bag at her feet。
〃Yes； so we have。 But a lot of good they'll do us；
to…night；〃 returned Helen。
〃Miss； you'd do well to change right here；〃 said Roy；
earnestly。 〃It'll save time in the long run an' a lot of
sufferin' before sunup。〃
Helen stared at the young man； absolutely amazed with his
simplicity。 She was advised to change her traveling…dress
for a riding…suit out somewhere in a cold； windy desert
in the middle of the night among strange young man！
〃Bo； which bag is it？〃 asked Dale； as if she were his
sister。 And when she indicated the one； he picked it up。
〃Come off the road。〃
Bo followed him； and Helen found herself mechanically at
their heels。 Dale led them a few paces off the road behind
some low bushes。
〃Hurry an' change here；〃 he said。 〃We'll make a pack of your
outfit an' leave room for this bag。〃
Then he stalked away and in a few strides disappeared。
Bo sat down to begin unlacing her shoes。 Helen could just
see her pale； pretty face and big； gleaming eyes by the
light of the stars。 It struck her then that Bo was going to
make eminently more of a success of Western life than she
was。
〃Nell； those fellows are n…nice；〃 said Bo； reflectively。
〃Aren't you c…cold？ Say； he said hurry！〃
It was beyond Helen's comprehension how she ever began to
disrobe out there in that open； windy desert； but after she
had gotten launched on the task she found that it required
more fortitude than courage。 The cold wind pierced right
through her。 Almost she could have laughed at the way Bo
made things fly。
〃G…g…g…gee！〃 chattered Bo。 〃I n…never w…was so c…c…cold in
all my life。 Nell Rayner； m…may the g…good Lord forgive
y…you！〃
Helen was too intent on her own troubles to take breath to
talk。 She was a strong； healthy girl； swift and efficient
with her hands； yet this； the hardest physical ordeal she
had ever experienced； almost overcame her。 Bo outdistanced
her by moments； helped her with buttons； and laced one whole
boot for her。 Then； with hands that stung； Helen packed the
traveling…suits in the bag。
〃There！ But what an awful mess！〃 exclaimed Helen。 〃Oh； Bo；
our pretty traveling…dresses！〃
〃We'll press them t…to…morrow on a l…log；〃 replied Bo；
and she giggled。
They started for the road。 Bo； strange to note； did not
carry her share of the burden； and she seemed unsteady on
her feet。
The men were waiting beside a group of horses； one of which
carried a pack。
〃Nothin' slow about you；〃 said Dale； relieving Helen of the
grip。 〃Roy； put them up while I sling on this bag。〃
Roy led out two of the horses。
〃Get up；〃 he said； indicating Bo。 〃The stirrups are short on
this saddle。〃
Bo was an adept at mounting； but she made such awkward and
slow work of it in this instance that Helen could not
believe her eyes。
〃Haw 're the stirrups？〃 asked Roy。 〃Stand in them。 Guess
they're about right。 。 。 。 Careful now！ Thet hoss is
skittish。 Hold him in。〃
Bo was not living up to the reputation with which Helen had
credited her。
〃Now； miss； you get up；〃 said Roy to Helen。 And in another
instant she found herself astride a black； spirited horse。
Numb with cold as she was； she yet felt the coursing thrills
along her veins。
Roy was at the stirrups with swift hands。
〃You're taller 'n I guessed；〃 he said。 〃Stay up； but lift
your foot。 。 。 。 Shore now； I'm glad you have them thick；
soft boots。 Mebbe we'll ride all over the White Mountains。〃
〃Bo； do you hear that？〃 called Helen。
But Bo did not answer。 She was leaning rather unnaturally in
her saddle。 Helen became anxious。 Just then Dale strode back
to them。
〃All cinched up； Roy？〃
〃Jest ready；〃 replied Roy。
Then Dale stood beside Helen。 How tall he was！ His wide
shoulders seemed on a level with the pommel of her saddle。
He put an affectionate hand on the horse。
〃His name's Ranger an' he's the fastest an' finest horse in
this country。〃
〃I reckon he shore is along with my bay；〃 corroborated
Roy。
〃Roy； if you rode Ranger he'd beat your pet；〃 said Dale。 〃We
can start now。 Roy； you drive the pack…horses。〃
He took another look at Helen's saddle and then moved to do
likewise with Bo's。
〃Are you all right？〃 he asked； quickly。
Bo reeled in her seat。
〃I'm n…near froze；〃 she replied； in a faint voice。 Her face
shone white in the starlight。 Helen recognized that Bo was
more than cold。
〃Oh； Bo！〃 she called； in distress。
〃Nell； don't you worry； now。〃
〃Let me carry you；〃 suggested Dale。
〃No。 I'll s…s…stick on this horse or d…die；〃 fiercely
retorted Bo。
The two men looked up at her white face and then at each
other。 Then Roy walked away toward the dark bunch of horses
off the road and Dale swung astride the one horse left。
〃Keep close to me；〃 he said。
Bo fell in line and Helen brought up the rear。
Helen imagined she was near the end of a dream。 Presently
she would awaken with a start and see the pale walls of her
little room at home； and hear the cherry branches brushing
her window； and the old clarion…voiced cock proclaim the
hour of dawn。
CHAPTER VI
The horses trotted。 And the exercise soon warmed Helen；
until she was fairly comfortable except in her fingers。 In
mind； however； she grew more miserable as she more fully
realized her situation。 The night now became so dark that；
although the head of her horse was alongside the flank of
Bo's； she could scarcely see Bo。 From time to time Helen's
anxious query brought from her sister the answer that she
was all right。
Helen had not ridden a horse for more than a year； and for
several years she had not ridden with any regularity。
Despite her thrills upon mounting； she had entertained
misgivings。 But she was agreeably surprised； for the horse；
Ranger； had an easy gait； and she found she had not
forgotten how to ride。 Bo； having been used to riding on a
farm near home； might be expected to acquit herself
admirably。 It occurred to Helen what a plight they would
have been in but for the thick； comfortable riding outfits。
Dark as the night was； Helen could dimly make out the road
underneath。 It was rocky； and apparently little used。 When
Dale turned off the road into the low brush or sage of what
seemed a level plain； the traveling was harder； rougher； and
yet no slower。 The horses kept to the gait of the leaders。
Helen； discovering it unnecessary； ceased attempting to
guide Ranger。 There were dim shapes in the gloom ahead； and
always they gave Helen uneasiness； until closer approach
proved them to be rocks or low； scrubby trees。 These
increased in both size and number as the horses progressed。
Often Helen looked back into the gloom behind。 This act was
involuntary and occasioned her sensations of dread。 Dale
expected to be pursued。 And Helen experienced； along with
the dread； flashes of unfamiliar resentment。 Not only was
there an attempt afoot to rob her of her heritage； but even
her
