the man of the forest-第18章
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few strokes sufficed to bring down the stub。 Then he split
it up。 Helen was curious to see how he kindled a fire。 First
he ripped splinters out of the heart of the log； and laid
them with coarser pieces on the ground。 Then from a
saddlebag which hung on a near…by branch he took flint and
steel and a piece of what Helen supposed was rag or
buckskin； upon which powder had been rubbed。 At any rate；
the first strike of the steel brought sparks； a blaze； and
burning splinters。 Instantly the flame leaped a foot high。
He put on larger pieces of wood crosswise； and the fire
roared。
That done； he stood erect； and； facing the north； he
listened。 Helen remembered now that she had seen him do the
same thing twice before since the arrival at Big Spring。 It
was Roy for whom he was listening and watching。 The sun had
set and across the open space the tips of the pines were
losing their brightness。
The camp utensils； which the hunter emptied out of a sack；
gave forth a jangle of iron and tin。 Next he unrolled a
large pack； the contents of which appeared to be numerous
sacks of all sizes。 These evidently contained food supplies。
The bucket looked as if a horse had rolled over it； pack and
all。 Dale filled it at the spring。 Upon returning to the
camp…fire he poured water into a washbasin； and； getting
down to his knees； proceeded to wash his hands thoroughly。
The act seemed a habit； for Helen saw that while he was
doing it he gazed off into the woods and listened。 Then he
dried his hands over the fire； and； turning to the
spread…out pack； he began preparations for the meal。
Suddenly Helen thought of the man and all that his actions
implied。 At Magdalena； on the stage…ride； and last night；
she had trusted this stranger； a hunter of the White
Mountains； who appeared ready to befriend her。 And she had
felt an exceeding gratitude。 Still； she had looked at him
impersonally。 But it began to dawn upon her that chance had
thrown her in the company of a remarkable man。 That
impression baffled her。 It did not spring from the fact that
he was brave and kind to help a young woman in peril； or
that he appeared deft and quick at camp…fire chores。 Most
Western men were brave； her uncle had told her； and many
were roughly kind； and all of them could cook。 This hunter
was physically a wonderful specimen of manhood； with
something leonine about his stature。 But that did not give
rise to her impression。 Helen had been a school…teacher and
used to boys； and she sensed a boyish simplicity or vigor or
freshness in this hunter。 She believed； however； that it was
a mental and spiritual force in Dale which had drawn her to
think of it。
〃Nell； I've spoken to you three times；〃 protested Bo；
petulantly。 〃What 're you mooning over？〃
〃I'm pretty tired and far away； Bo；〃 replied Helen。 〃What
did you say？〃
〃I said I had an e…normous appetite。〃
〃Really。 That's not remarkable for you。 I'm too tired to
eat。 And afraid to shut my eyes。 They'd never come open。
When did we sleep last； Bo？〃
〃Second night before we left home；〃 declared Bo。
〃Four nights！ Oh； we've slept some。〃
〃I'll bet I make mine up in this woods。 Do you suppose we'll
sleep right here under this tree with no covering？〃
〃It looks so；〃 replied Helen； dubiously。
〃How perfectly lovely！〃 exclaimed Bo； in delight。 〃We'll see
the stars through the pines。〃
〃Seems to be clouding over。 Wouldn't it be awful if we had a
storm？〃
〃Why； I don't know；〃 answered Bo； thoughtfully。 〃It must
storm out West。〃
Again Helen felt a quality of inevitableness in Bo。 It was
something that had appeared only practical in the humdrum
home life in St。 Joseph。 All of a sudden Helen received a
flash of wondering thought a thrilling consciousness that
she and Bo had begun to develop in a new and wild
environment。 How strange； and fearful； perhaps； to watch
that growth！ Bo； being younger； more impressionable； with
elemental rather than intellectual instincts； would grow
stronger more swiftly。 Helen wondered if she could yield to
her own leaning to the primitive。 But how could anyone with
a thoughtful and grasping mind yield that way？ It was the
savage who did not think。
Helen saw Dale stand erect once more and gaze into the
forest。
〃Reckon Roy ain't comin'；〃 he soliloquized。 〃An' that's
good。〃 Then he turned to the girls。 〃Supper's ready。〃
The girls responded with a spirit greater than their
activity。 And they ate like famished children that had been
lost in the woods。 Dale attended them with a pleasant light
upon his still face。
〃To…morrow night we'll have meat；〃 he said。
〃What kind？〃 asked Bo。
〃Wild turkey or deer。 Maybe both； if you like。 But it's well
to take wild meat slow。 An' turkey that 'll melt in your
mouth。〃
〃Uummm！〃 murmured Bo； greedily。 〃I've heard of wild turkey。〃
When they had finished Dale ate his meal； listening to the
talk of the girls； and occasionally replying briefly to some
query of Bo's。 It was twilight when he began to wash the
pots and pans； and almost dark by the time his duties
appeared ended。 Then he replenished the campfire and sat
down on a log to gaze into the fire。 The girls leaned
comfortably propped against the saddles。
〃Nell； I'll keel over in a minute；〃 said Bo。 〃And I oughtn't
right on such a big supper。〃
〃I don't see how I can sleep； and I know I can't stay
awake；〃 rejoined Helen。
Dale lifted his head alertly。
〃Listen。〃
The girls grew tense and still。 Helen could not hear a
sound； unless it was a low thud of hoof out in the gloom。
The forest seemed sleeping。 She knew from Bo's eyes； wide
and shining in the camp…fire light； that she； too； had
failed to catch whatever it was Dale meant。
〃Bunch of coyotes comin'；〃 he explained。
Suddenly the quietness split to a chorus of snappy；
high…strung； strange barks。 They sounded wild； yet they held
something of a friendly or inquisitive note。 Presently gray
forms could be descried just at the edge of the circle of
light。 Soft rustlings of stealthy feet surrounded。 the camp；
and then barks and yelps broke out all around。 It was a
restless and sneaking pack of animals； thought Helen； she
was glad after the chorus ended and with a few desultory；
spiteful yelps the coyotes went away。
Silence again settled down。 If it had not been for the
anxiety always present in Helen's mind she would have
thought this silence sweet and unfamiliarly beautiful。
〃Ah！ Listen to that fellow；〃 spoke up Dale。 His voice was
thrilling。
Again the girls strained their ears。 That was not necessary；
for presently； clear and cold out of the silence； pealed a
mournful howl； long drawn； strange and full and wild。
〃Oh！ What's that？〃 whispered Bo。
〃That's a big gray wolf a timber…wolf； or lofer； as he's
sometimes called；〃 replied Dale。 〃He's high on some rocky
ridge back there。 He scents us； an' he doesn't like it。 。 。
。 There he goes again。 Listen！ Ah； he's hungry。〃
While Helen listened to this exceedingly wild cry so wild
that it made her flesh creep and the most indescribable
sensations of loneliness come over her she kept her
glance upon Dale。
〃You love him？〃 she murmured involuntarily； quite without
understanding the motive of her query。
Assuredly Dale had never had that question asked of him
before； and it seemed to Helen； as he pondered； that he had
never even asked it of himself。
〃I reckon so；〃 he replied； presently。
〃But wolves kill deer； and little fawns； and everything
helpless in the forest；〃 expostulated Bo。
The hunter nodded his head。
〃Why； then； can you love him？〃 repeated Helen。
〃Come to think of it； I reckon it's because of lots of
reasons；〃 returned Dale。 〃He kills clean。 He eats no
carrion。 He's no coward。 He fights。 He dies game。 。 。 。 An'
he likes to be alone。〃
〃Kills clean。 What do you mean by that？〃
〃A cougar； now； he mangles a deer。 An' a silvertip； when
killin' a cow or colt； he makes a mess of it。 But a wolf
kills clean； with sharp snaps。〃
〃What are a cougar and a silvertip？〃
〃Cougar means mountain…lion or panther； an' a silvertip is a
grizzly bear。〃
〃Oh；
