the man of the forest-第21章
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the fine mist blew； the clouds lifted and separated； and；
closing again； darkened for another onslaught。 This one
brought sleet。 The driving pellets stung Helen's neck and
cheeks； and for a while they fell so thick and so hard upon
her back that she was afraid she could not hold up under
them。 The bare places on the ground showed a sparkling
coverlet of marbles of ice。
Thus； storm after storm rolled over Helen's head。 Her feet
grew numb and ceased to hurt。 But her fingers； because of
her ceaseless efforts to keep up the circulation； retained
the stinging pain。 And now the wind pierced right through
her。 She marveled at her endurance； and there were many
times that she believed she could not ride farther。 Yet she
kept on。 All the winters she had ever lived had not brought
such a day as this。 Hard and cold； wet and windy； at an
increasing elevation that was the explanation。 The air
did not have sufficient oxygen for her blood。
Still； during all those interminable hours； Helen watched
where she was traveling； and if she ever returned over that
trail she would recognize it。 The afternoon appeared far
advanced when Dale and Roy led down into an immense basin
where a reedy lake spread over the flats。 They rode along
its margin； splashing up to the knees of the horses。 Cranes
and herons flew on with lumbering motion； flocks of ducks
winged swift flight from one side to the other。 Beyond this
depression the land sloped rather abruptly； outcroppings of
rock circled along the edge of the highest ground； and again
a dark fringe of trees appeared。
How many miles！ wondered Helen。 They seemed as many and as
long as the hours。 But at last； just as another hard rain
came； the pines were reached。 They proved to be widely
scattered and afforded little protection from the storm。
Helen sat her saddle； a dead weight。 Whenever Ranger
quickened his gait or crossed a ditch she held on to the
pommel to keep from falling off。 Her mind harbored only
sensations of misery； and a persistent thought why did
she ever leave home for the West？ Her solicitude for Bo had
been forgotten。 Nevertheless； any marked change in the
topography of the country was registered； perhaps
photographed on her memory by the torturing vividness of her
experience。
The forest grew more level and denser。 Shadows of twilight
or gloom lay under the trees。 Presently Dale and Roy；
disappeared； going downhill； and likewise Bo。 Then Helen's
ears suddenly filled with a roar of rapid water。 Ranger
trotted faster。 Soon Helen came to the edge of a great
valley； black and gray； so full of obscurity that she could
not see across or down into it。 But she knew there was a
rushing river at the bottom。 The sound was deep； continuous；
a heavy； murmuring roar； singularly musical。 The trail was
steep。 Helen had not lost all feeling； as she had believed
and hoped。 Her poor； mistreated body still responded
excruciatingly to concussions； jars； wrenches； and all the
other horrible movements making up a horse…trot。
For long Helen did not look up。 When she did so there lay a
green； willow…bordered； treeless space at the bottom of the
valley； through which a brown…white stream rushed with
steady； ear…filling roar。
Dale and Roy drove the pack…animals across the stream； and
followed； going deep to the flanks of their horses。 Bo rode
into the foaming water as if she had been used to it all her
days。 A slip； a fall； would have meant that Bo must drown in
that mountain torrent。
Ranger trotted straight to the edge； and there； obedient to
Helen's clutch on the bridle； he halted。 The stream was
fifty feet wide； shallow on the near side； deep on the
opposite； with fast current and big waves。 Helen was simply
too frightened to follow。
〃Let him come！〃 yelled Dale。 〃Stick on now！ 。 。 。 Ranger！〃
The big black plunged in； making the water fly。 That stream
was nothing for him； though it seemed impassable to Helen。
She had not the strength left to lift her stirrups and the
water surged over them。 Ranger； in two more plunges；
surmounted the bank； and then； trotting across the green to
where the other horses stood steaming under some pines； he
gave a great heave and halted。
Roy reached up to help her off。
〃Thirty miles； Miss Helen；〃 he said； and the way he spoke
was a compliment。
He had to lift her off and help her to the tree where Bo
leaned。 Dale had ripped off a saddle and was spreading
saddle…blankets on the ground under the pine。
〃Nell you swore you loved me！〃 was Bo's mournful
greeting。 The girl was pale； drawn； blue…lipped； and she
could not stand up。
〃Bo； I never did or I'd never have brought you to this
wretch that I am！〃 cried Helen。 〃Oh； what a horrible ride！〃
Rain was falling； the trees were dripping； the sky was
lowering。 All the ground was soaking wet； with pools and
puddles everywhere。 Helen could imagine nothing but a
heartless； dreary； cold prospect。 Just then home was vivid
and poignant in her thoughts。 Indeed； so utterly miserable
was she that the exquisite relief of sitting down； of a
cessation of movement； of a release from that infernal
perpetual…trotting horse； seemed only a mockery。 It could
not be true that the time had come for rest。
Evidently this place had been a camp site for hunters or
sheep…herders； for there were remains of a fire。 Dale lifted
the burnt end of a log and brought it down hard upon the
ground； splitting off pieces。 Several times he did this。 It
was amazing to see his strength； his facility； as he split
off handfuls of splinters。 He collected a bundle of them；
and； laying them down； he bent over them。 Roy wielded the ax
on another log； and each stroke split off a long strip。 Then
a tiny column of smoke drifted up over Dale's shoulder as he
leaned； bareheaded； sheltering the splinters with his hat。 A
blaze leaped up。 Roy came with an armful of strips all white
and dry； out of the inside of a log。 Crosswise these were
laid over the blaze； and it began to roar。 Then piece by
piece the men built up a frame upon which they added heavier
woods； branches and stumps and logs； erecting a pyramid
through which flames and smoke roared upward。 It had not
taken two minutes。 Already Helen felt the warmth on her icy
face。 She held up her bare； numb hands。
Both Dale and Roy were wet through to the skin； yet they did
not tarry beside the fire。 They relieved the horses。 A lasso
went up between two pines； and a tarpaulin over it； V…shaped
and pegged down at the four ends。 The packs containing the
baggage of the girls and the supplies and bedding were
placed under this shelter。
Helen thought this might have taken five minutes more。 In
this short space of time the fire had leaped and flamed
until it was huge and hot。 Rain was falling steadily all
around； but over and near that roaring blaze； ten feet high；
no water fell。 It evaporated。 The ground began to steam and
to dry。 Helen suffered at first while the heat was driving
out the cold。 But presently the pain ceased。
〃Nell； I never knew before how good a fire could feel；〃
declared Bo。
And therein lay more food for Helen's reflection。
In ten minutes Helen was dry and hot。 Darkness came down
upon the dreary； sodden forest； but that great camp…fire
made it a different world from the one Helen had
anticipated。 It blazed and roared； cracked like a pistol；
hissed and sputtered； shot sparks everywhere； and sent aloft
a dense； yellow； whirling column of smoke。 It began to have
a heart of gold。
Dale took a long pole and raked out a pile of red embers
upon which the coffee…pot and oven soon began to steam。
〃Roy； I promised the girls turkey to…night；〃 said the
hunter。
〃Mebbe to…morrow； if the wind shifts。 This 's turkey
country。〃
〃Roy； a potato will do me！〃 exclaimed Bo。
〃Never again will I ask for cake and pie！ I never
appreciated good things to eat。 And I've been a little pig；
always。 I never never knew what it was to be hungry
until now。〃
Dale glanced up quickly。
〃Lass； it's worth learnin'；〃 he said。
Helen's thought was too deep for words。 In such brief space
had she been t
