the man of the forest-第15章

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there　an　attempt　afoot　to　rob　her　of　her　heritage；　but　even
her　personal　liberty。　　Then　she　shuddered　at　the　significance
of　Dale's　words　regarding　her　possible　abduction　by　this
hired　gang。　　It　seemed　monstrous；　impossible。　　Yet；　manifestly
it　was　true　enough　to　Dale　and　his　allies。　　The　West；　then；
in　reality　was　raw；　hard；　inevitable。

Suddenly　her　horse　stopped。　　He　had　come　up　alongside　Bo's
horse。　　Dale　had　halted　ahead；　and　apparently　was　listening。
Roy　and　the　pack…train　were　out　of　sight　in　the　gloom。

〃What　is　it？〃　whispered　Helen。

〃Reckon　I　heard　a　wolf；〃　replied　Dale。

〃Was　that　cry　a　wolf's？〃　asked　Bo。　　〃I　heard。　　It　was　wild。〃

〃We're　gettin'　up　close　to　the　foot…hills；〃　said　Dale。　　〃Feel
how　much　colder　the　air　is。〃

〃I'm　warm　now；〃　replied　Bo。　　〃I　guess　being　near　froze　was
what　ailed　me。　。　。　。　　Nell；　how　're　you？〃

〃I'm　warm；　too；　but　〃　Helen　answered。

〃If　you　had　your　choice　of　being　here　or　back　home；　snug　in
bed　　which　would　you　take？〃　asked　Bo。

〃Bo！〃　exclaimed　Helen；　aghast。

〃Well；　I'd　choose　to　be　right　here　on　this　horse；〃　rejoined
Bo。

Dale　heard　her；　for　he　turned　an　instant；　then　slapped　his
horse　and　started　on。

Helen　now　rode　beside　Bo；　and　for　a　long　time　they　climbed
steadily　in　silence。　　Helen　knew　when　that　dark　hour　before
dawn　had　passed；　and　she　welcomed　an　almost　imperceptible
lightening　in　the　east。　　Then　the　stars　paled。　　Gradually　a
grayness　absorbed　all　but　the　larger　stars。　　The　great　white
morning　star；　wonderful　as　Helen　had　never　seen　it；　lost　its
brilliance　and　life　and　seemed　to　retreat　into　the　dimming
blue。

Daylight　came　gradually；　so　that　the　gray　desert　became
distinguishable　by　degrees。　　Rolling　bare　hills；　half
obscured　by　the　gray　lifting　mantle　of　night；　rose　in　the
foreground；　and　behind　was　gray　space；　slowly　taking　form
and　substance。　　In　the　east　there　was　a　kindling　of　pale　rose
and　silver　that　lengthened　and　brightened　along　a　horizon
growing　visibly　rugged。

〃Reckon　we'd　better　catch　up　with　Roy；〃　said　Dale；　and　he
spurred　his　horse。

Ranger　and　Bo's　mount　needed　no　other　urging；　and　they　swung
into　a　canter。　　Far　ahead　the　pack…animals　showed　with　Roy
driving　them。　　The　cold　wind　was　so　keen　in　Helen's　face　that
tears　blurred　her　eyes　and　froze　her　cheeks。　　And　riding
Ranger　at　that　pace　was　like　riding　in　a　rocking…chair。　　That
ride；　invigorating　and　exciting；　seemed　all　too　short。

〃Oh；　Nell；　I　don't　care　　what　becomes　of　　me！〃　exclaimed
Bo；　breathlessly。

Her　face　was　white　and　red；　fresh　as　a　rose；　her　eyes
glanced　darkly　blue；　her　hair　blew　out　in　bright；　unruly
strands。　　Helen　knew　she　felt　some　of　the　physical
stimulation　that　had　so　roused　Bo；　and　seemed　so
irresistible；　but　somber　thought　was　not　deflected　thereby。

It　was　clear　daylight　when　Roy　led　off　round　a　knoll　from
which　patches　of　scrubby　trees　　cedars；　Dale　called　them
　straggled　up　on　the　side　of　the　foot…hills。

〃They　grow　on　the　north　slopes；　where　the　snow　stays
longest；〃　said　Dale。

They　descended　into　a　valley　that　looked　shallow；　but　proved
to　be　deep　and　wide；　and　then　began　to　climb　another
foot…hill。　　Upon　surmounting　it　Helen　saw　the　rising　sun；　and
so　glorious　a　view　confronted　her　that　she　was　unable　to
answer　Bo's　wild　exclamations。

Bare；　yellow；　cedar…dotted　slopes；　apparently　level；　so
gradual　was　the　ascent；　stretched　away　to　a　dense　ragged
line　of　forest　that　rose　black　over　range　after　range；　at
last　to　fail　near　the　bare　summit　of　a　magnificent　mountain；
sunrise…flushed　against　the　blue　sky。

〃Oh；　beautiful！〃　cried　Bo。　　〃But　they　ought　to　be　called
Black　Mountains。〃

〃Old　Baldy；　there；　is　white　half　the　year；〃　replied　Dale。

〃Look　back　an'　see　what　you　say；〃　suggested　Roy。

The　girls　turned　to　gaze　silently。　　Helen　imagined　she　looked
down　upon　the　whole　wide　world。　　How　vastly　different　was　the
desert！　　Verily　it　yawned　away　from　her；　red　and　gold　near　at
hand；　growing　softly　flushed　with　purple　far　away；　a　barren
void；　borderless　and　immense；　where　dark…green　patches　and
black　lines　and　upheaved　ridges　only　served　to　emphasize
distance　and　space。

〃See　thet　little　green　spot；〃　said　Roy；　pointing。　　〃Thet's
Snowdrop。　　An'　the　other　one　　'way　to　the　right　　thet's
Show　Down。〃

〃Where　is　Pine？〃　queried　Helen；　eagerly。

〃Farther　still；　up　over　the　foot…hills　at　the　edge　of　the
woods。〃

〃Then　we're　riding　away　from　it。〃

〃Yes。　　If　we'd　gone　straight　for　Pine　thet　gang　could
overtake　us。　　Pine　is　four　days'　ride。　　An'　by　takin'　to　the
mountains　Milt　can　hide　his　tracks。　　An'　when　he's　thrown
Anson　off　the　scent；　then　he'll　circle　down　to　Pine。〃

〃Mr。　　Dale；　do　you　think　you'll　get　us　there　safely　　and
soon？〃　asked　Helen；　wistfully。

〃I　won't　promise　soon；　but　I　promise　safe。　　An'　I　don't　like
bein'　called　Mister；〃　he　replied。

〃Are　we　ever　going　to　eat？〃　inquired　Bo；　demurely。

At　this　query　Roy　Beeman　turned　with　a　laugh　to　look　at　Bo。
Helen　saw　his　face　fully　in　the　light；　and　it　was　thin　and
hard；　darkly　bronzed；　with　eyes　like　those　of　a　hawk；　and
with　square　chin　and　lean　jaws　showing　scant；　light　beard。

〃We　shore　are；〃　he　replied。　　〃Soon　as　we　reach　the　timber。
Thet　won't　be　long。〃

〃Reckon　we　can　rustle　some　an'　then　take　a　good　rest；〃　said
Dale；　and　he　urged　his　horse　into　a　jog…trot。

During　a　steady　trot　for　a　long　hour；　Helen's　roving　eyes
were　everywhere；　taking　note　of　the　things　from　near　to　far
　the　scant　sage　that　soon　gave　place　to　as　scanty　a　grass；
and　the　dark　blots　that　proved　to　be　dwarf　cedars；　and　the
ravines　opening　out　as　if　by　magic　from　what　had　appeared
level　ground；　to　wind　away　widening　between　gray　stone
walls；　and　farther　on；　patches　of　lonely　pine…trees；　two　and
three　together；　and　then　a　straggling　clump　of　yellow
aspens；　and　up　beyond　the　fringed　border　of　forest；　growing
nearer　all　the　while；　the　black　sweeping　benches　rising　to
the　noble　dome　of　the　dominant　mountain　of　the　range。

No　birds　or　animals　were　seen　in　that　long　ride　up　toward
the　timber；　which　fact　seemed　strange　to　Helen。　　The　air　lost
something　of　its　cold；　cutting　edge　as　the　sun　rose　higher；
and　it　gained　sweeter　tang　of　forest…land。　　The　first　faint
suggestion　of　that　fragrance　was　utterly　new　to　Helen；　yet
it　brought　a　vague　sensation　of　familiarity　and　with　it　an
emotion　as　strange。　　It　was　as　if　she　had　smelled　that　keen；
pungent　tang　long　ago；　and　her　physical　sense　caught　it
before　her　memory。

The　yellow　plain　had　only　appeared　to　be　level。　　Roy　led　down
into　a　shallow　ravine；　where　a　tiny　stream　meandered；　and　he
followed　this　around　to　the　left；　coming　at　length　to　a
point　where　cedars　and　dwarf　pines　formed　a　little　grove。
Here；　as　the　others　rode　up；　he　sat　cross…legged　in　his
saddle；　and　waited。

〃We'll　hang　up　awhile；〃　he　said。　　〃Reckon　you're　tired？〃

〃I'm　hungry；　but　not　tired　yet；〃　replied　Bo。

Helen　dismounted；　to　find　that　walking　was　something　she　had
apparently　lost　the　power　to　do。　　Bo　laughed　at　her；　but　she；
too；　was　awkward　when　once　more　upon　the　ground。

Then　Roy　got　down。　　Helen　was　surprised　to　find　him　lame。　　He
caught　her　quick　glance。

〃A　hoss　threw　me　once　an'　rolled　on　me。　　Only　broke　my
collar…bone；　five　ribs；　one　arm；　an'　my　bow…legs　in　two
places！〃

Notwithstanding　this　evidence　that　he　was　a　cripple；　as　he
stood　there　tall　and　lithe　in　his　homespun；　ragged　garments；
he　looked　singularly　powerful　and　capable。

〃Reckon　walkin'　around　would　be　good　for　you　girls；〃　advised
Dale。　　〃If　you　ain't　stiff　yet；　you'll　be　soon。　　An'　walkin'
will　help。　　Don't　go　far。　　I'll　call　when　breakfast's　ready。〃


A　little　while　later　the　girls　were　whistled　in　from　their
walk　and　found　camp…fire　and　meal　awaiting　them。　　Roy　was
sitting　cross…legged；　like　an　Indian；　in　front　of　a
tarpaulin；　upon　which　was　spread　a　homely　but　substantial
fare。　　Helen's　quick　eye　detected　a　cleanliness　and
thoroughness　she　had　scarcely　expected　to　find　in　the　camp
cooking　of　men　of　the　wilds。　　Moreover；　the　fare　was　good。
She　ate　heartily；　and　as　for　Bo's　appetite；　she　was　inclined
to　be　as　much　ashamed　of　that　as　amused　at　it。　　The　young　men
were　all　eyes；　assiduous　in　their　service　t