the man of the forest-第20章

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Bo　manifested　active　symptoms　of　health　in　the　manner　with
which　she　laced　her　boots。　　Helen　got　their　traveling…bag；
and　with　this　they　repaired　to　a　flat　stone　beside　the
spring；　not；　however；　out　of　earshot　of　the　men。

〃How　long　are　you　goin'　to　hang　around　camp　before　tellin'
me？〃　inquired　Dale。

〃Jest　as　I　figgered；　Milt；〃　replied　Roy。　　〃Thet　rider　who
passed　you　was　a　messenger　to　Anson。　　He　an'　his　gang　got　on
our　trail　quick。　　About　ten　o'clock　I　seen　them　comin'。　　Then
I　lit　out　for　the　woods。　　I　stayed　off　in　the　woods　close
enough　to　see　where　they　come　in。　　An'　shore　they　lost　your
trail。　　Then　they　spread　through　the　woods；　workin'　off　to
the　south；　thinkin'；　of　course；　thet　you　would　circle　round
to　Pine　on　the　south　side　of　Old　Baldy。　　There　ain't　a
hoss…tracker　in　Snake　Anson's　gang；　thet's　shore。　　Wal；　I
follered　them　for　an　hour　till　they'd　rustled　some　miles　off
our　trail。　　Then　I　went　back　to　where　you　struck　into　the
woods。　　An'　I　waited　there　all　afternoon　till　dark；　expectin'
mebbe　they'd　back…trail。　　But　they　didn't。　　I　rode　on　a　ways
an'　camped　in　the　woods　till　jest　before　daylight。〃

〃So　far　so　good；〃　declared　Dale。

〃Shore。　　There's　rough　country　south　of　Baldy　an'　along　the
two　or　three　trails　Anson　an'　his　outfit　will　camp；　you
bet。〃

〃It　ain't　to　be　thought　of；〃　muttered　Dale；　at　some　idea
that　had　struck　him。

〃What　ain't？〃

〃Goin'　round　the　north　side　of　Baldy。〃

〃It　shore　ain't；〃　rejoined　Roy；　bluntly。

〃Then　I've　got　to　hide　tracks　certain　　rustle　to　my　camp
an'　stay　there　till　you　say　it's　safe　to　risk　takin'　the
girls　to　Pine。〃

〃Milt；　you're　talkin'　the　wisdom　of　the　prophets。〃

〃I　ain't　so　sure　we　can　hide　tracks　altogether。　　If　Anson　had
any　eyes　for　the　woods　he'd　not　have　lost　me　so　soon。

〃No。　　But；　you　see；　he's　figgerin'　to　cross　your　trail。〃

〃If　I　could　get　fifteen　or　twenty　mile　farther　on　an'　hide
tracks　certain；　I'd　feel　safe　from　pursuit；　anyway；〃　said
the　hunter；　reflectively。

〃Shore　an'　easy；〃　responded　Roy；　quickly。　　〃I　jest　met　up
with　some　greaser　sheep…herders　drivin'　a　big　flock。　　They've
come　up　from　the　south　an'　are　goin'　to　fatten　up　at　Turkey
Senacas。　　Then　they'll　drive　back　south　an'　go　on　to　Phenix。
Wal；　it's　muddy　weather。　　Now　you　break　camp　quick　an'　make　a
plain　trail　out　to　thet　sheep　trail；　as　if　you　was　travelin'
south。　　But；　instead；　you　ride　round　ahead　of　thet　flock　of
sheep。　　They'll　keep　to　the　open　parks　an'　the　trails　through
them　necks　of　woods　out　here。　　An'；　passin'　over　your　tracks；
they'll　hide　'em。〃

〃But　supposin'　Anson　circles　an'　hits　this　camp？　　He'll　track
me　easy　out　to　that　sheep　trail。　　What　then？〃

〃Jest　what　you　want。　　Goin'　south　thet　sheep　trail　is
downhill　an'　muddy。　　It's　goin'　to　rain　hard。　　Your　tracks
would　get　washed　out　even　if　you　did　go　south。　　An'　Anson
would　keep　on　thet　way　till　he　was　clear　off　the　scent。
Leave　it　to　me；　Milt。　　You're　a　hunter。　　But　I'm　a
hoss…tracker。〃

〃All　right。　　We'll　rustle。〃

Then　he　called　the　girls　to　hurry。



CHAPTER　VIII

Once　astride　the　horse　again；　Helen　had　to　congratulate
herself　upon　not　being　so　crippled　as　she　had　imagined。
Indeed；　Bo　made　all　the　audible　complaints。

Both　girls　had　long　water…proof　coats；　brand…new；　and　of
which　they　were　considerably　proud。　　New　clothes　had　not　been
a　common　event　in　their　lives。

〃Reckon　I'll　have　to　slit　these；〃　Dale　had　said；　whipping
out　a　huge　knife。

〃What　for？〃　had　been　Bo's　feeble　protest。

〃They　wasn't　made　for　ridin'。　　An'　you'll　get　wet　enough　even
if　I　do　cut　them。　　An'　if　I　don't；　you'll　get　soaked。〃

〃Go　ahead；〃　had　been　Helen's　reluctant　permission。

So　their　long　new　coats　were　slit　half…way　up　the　back。　　The
exigency　of　the　case　was　manifest　to　Helen；　when　she　saw　how
they　came　down　over　the　cantles　of　the　saddles　and　to　their
boot…tops。

The　morning　was　gray　and　cold。　　A　fine；　misty　rain　fell　and
the　trees　dripped　steadily。　　Helen　was　surprised　to　see　the
open　country　again　and　that　apparently　they　were　to　leave
the　forest　behind　for　a　while。　　The　country　was　wide　and　flat
on　the　right；　and　to　the　left　it　rolled　and　heaved　along　a
black；　scalloped　timber…line。　　Above　this　bordering　of　the
forest　low；　drifting　clouds　obscured　the　mountains。　　The　wind
was　at　Helen's　back　and　seemed　to　be　growing　stronger。　　Dale
and　Roy　were　ahead；　traveling　at　a　good　trot；　with　the
pack…animals　bunched　before　them。　　Helen　and　Bo　had　enough　to
do　to　keep　up。

The　first　hour's　ride　brought　little　change　in　weather　or
scenery；　but　it　gave　Helen　an　inkling　of　what　she　must
endure　if　they　kept　that　up　all　day。　　She　began　to　welcome
the　places　where　the　horses　walked；　but　she　disliked　the
levels。　　As　for　the　descents；　she　hated　those。　　Ranger　would
not　go　down　slowly　and　the　shake…up　she　received　was
unpleasant。　　Moreover；　the　spirited　black　horse　insisted　on
jumping　the　ditches　and　washes。　　He　sailed　over　them　like　a
bird。　　Helen　could　not　acquire　the　knack　of　sitting　the
saddle　properly；　and　so；　not　only　was　her　person　bruised　on
these　occasions；　but　her　feelings　were　hurt。　　Helen　had　never
before　been　conscious　of　vanity。　　Still；　she　had　never
rejoiced　in　looking　at　a　disadvantage；　and　her　exhibitions
here　must　have　been　frightful。　　Bo　always　would　forge　to　the
front；　and　she　seldom　looked　back；　for　which　Helen　was
grateful。

Before　long　they　struck　into　a　broad；　muddy　belt；　full　of
innumerable　small　hoof　tracks。　　This；　then；　was　the　sheep
trail　Roy　had　advised　following。　　They　rode　on　it　for　three
or　four　miles；　and　at　length；　coming　to　a　gray…green　valley；
they　saw　a　huge　flock　of　sheep。　　Soon　the　air　was　full　of
bleats　and　baas　as　well　as　the　odor　of　sheep；　and　a　low；
soft　roar　of　pattering　hoofs。　　The　flock　held　a　compact
formation；　covering　several　acres；　and　grazed　along　rapidly。
There　were　three　herders　on　horses　and。　　several　pack…burros。
Dale　engaged　one　of　the　Mexicans　in　conversation；　and　passed
something　to　him；　then　pointed　northward　and　down　along　the
trail。　　The　Mexican　grinned　from　ear　to　ear；　and　Helen　caught
the　quick　〃SI；　SENYOR！　　GRACIAS；　SENYOR！〃　It　was　a　pretty
sight；　that　flock　of　sheep；　as　it　rolled　along　like　a
rounded　woolly　stream　of　grays　and　browns　and　here　and　there
a　black。　　They　were　keeping　to　a　trail　over　the　flats。　　Dale
headed　into　this　trail　and；　if　anything；　trotted　a　little
faster。

Presently　the　clouds　lifted　and　broke；　showing　blue　sky　and
one　streak　of　sunshine。　　But　the　augury　was　without　warrant。
The　wind　increased。　　A　huge　black　pall　bore　down　from　the
mountains　and　it　brought　rain　that　could　be　seen　falling　in
sheets　from　above　and　approaching　like　a　swiftly　moving
wall。　　Soon　it　enveloped　the　fugitives。

With　head　bowed；　Helen　rode　along　for　what　seemed　ages　in　a
cold；　gray　rain　that　blew　almost　on　a　level。　　Finally　the
heavy　downpour　passed；　leaving　a　fine　mist。　　The　clouds
scurried　low　and　dark；　hiding　the　mountains　altogether　and
making　the　gray；　wet　plain　a　dreary　sight。　　Helen's　feet　and
knees　were　as　wet　as　if　she　had　waded　in　water。　　And　they
were　cold。　　Her　gloves；　too；　had　not　been　intended　for　rain；
and　they　were　wet　through。　　The　cold　bit　at　her　fingers　so
that　she　had　to　beat　her　hands　together。　　Ranger
misunderstood　this　to　mean　that　he　was　to　trot　faster；　which
event　was　worse　for　Helen　than　freezing。

She　saw　another　black；　scudding　mass　of　clouds　bearing　down
with　its　trailing　sheets　of　rain；　and　this　one　appeared
streaked　with　white。　　Snow！　　The　wind　was　now　piercingly　cold。
Helen's　body　kept　warm；　but　her　extremities　and　ears　began
to　suffer　exceedingly。　　She　gazed　ahead　grimly。　　There　was　no
help；　she　had　to　go　on。　　Dale　and　Roy　were　hunched　down　in
their　saddles；　probably　wet　through；　for　they　wore　no
rain…proof　coats。　　Bo　kept　close　behind　them；　and　plain　it
was　that　she　felt　the　cold。

This　second　storm　was　not　so　bad　as　the　first；　because　there
was　less　rain。　　Still；　the　icy　keenness　of　the　wind　bit　into
the　marrow。　　It　lasted　for　an　hour；　during　which　the　horses
trotted　on；　trotted　on。　　Again　the　gray　torrent　roared　away；
the　fine　mist　blew；　the　clouds　lifted　and　separated；　and；
closing　again；　darkene