the man of the forest-第23章

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which　on　that　side　was　not　steep。　　It　was　brown　pine　forest；
with　here　and　there　a　clump　of　dark；　silver…pointed
evergreens　that　Roy　called　spruce。　　By　the　time　this　slope
was　surmounted　Helen's　aches　were　not　so　bad。　　The　saddle
appeared　to　fit　her　better；　and　the　gait　of　the　horse　was
not　so　unfamiliar。　　She　reflected；　however；　that　she　always
had　done　pretty　well　uphill。　　Here　it　was　beautiful
forest…land；　uneven　and　wilder。　　They　rode　for　a　time　along
the　rim；　with　the　white　rushing　stream　in　plain　sight　far
below；　with　its　melodious　roar　ever　thrumming　in　the　ear。

Dale　reined　in　and　peered　down　at　the　pine…mat。

〃Fresh　deer　sign　all　along　here；〃　he　said；　pointing。

〃Wal；　I　seen　thet　long　ago；〃　rejoined　Roy。

Helen's　scrutiny　was　rewarded　by　descrying　several　tiny
depressions　in　the　pine…needles；　dark　in　color　and　sharply
defined。

〃We　may　never　get　a　better　chance；〃　said　Dale。　　〃Those　deer
are　workin'　up　our　way。　　Get　your　rifle　out。〃

Travel　was　resumed　then；　with　Roy　a　little　in　advance　of　the
pack…train。　　Presently　he　dismounted；　threw　his　bridle；　and
cautiously　peered　ahead。　　Then；　turning；　he　waved　his
sombrero。　　The　pack…animals　halted　in　a　bunch。　　Dale　beckoned
for　the　girls　to　follow　and　rode　up　to　Roy's　horse。　　This
point；　Helen　saw；　was　at　the　top　of　an　intersecting　canuon。
Dale　dismounted；　without　drawing　his　rifle　from　its
saddle…sheath；　and　approached　Roy。

〃Buck　an'　two　does；〃　he　said；　low…voiced。　　〃An'　they've
winded　us；　but　don't　see　us　yet。　。　。　。　　Girls；　ride　up
closer。〃

Following　the　directions　indicated　by　Dale's　long　arm；　Helen
looked　down　the　slope。　　It　was　open；　with　tall　pines　here　and
there；　and　clumps　of　silver　spruce；　and　aspens　shining　like
gold　in　the　morning　sunlight。　　Presently　Bo　exclaimed：　〃Oh；
look！　　I　see！　　I　see！〃　Then　Helen's　roving　glance　passed
something　different　from　green　and　gold　and　brown。　　Shifting
back　to　it　she　saw　a　magnificent　stag；　with　noble　spreading
antlers；　standing　like　a　statue；　his　head　up　in　alert　and
wild　posture。　　His　color　was　gray。　　Beside　him　grazed　two　deer
of　slighter　and　more　graceful　build；　without　horns。

〃It's　downhill；〃　whispered　Dale。　　〃An'　you're　goin'　to
overshoot。〃

Then　Helen　saw　that　Roy　had　his　rifle　leveled。

〃Oh；　don't！〃　she　cried。

Dale's　remark　evidently　nettled　Roy。　　He　lowered　the　rifle。

〃Milt；　it's　me　lookin'　over　this　gun。　　How　can　you　stand
there　an'　tell　me　I'm　goin'　to　shoot　high？　　I　had　a　dead　bead
on　him。〃

〃Roy；　you　didn't　allow　for　downhill　。　。　。　　Hurry。　　He　sees　us
now。〃

Roy　leveled　the　rifle　and；　taking　aim　as　before；　he　fired。
The　buck　stood　perfectly　motionless；　as　if　he　had　indeed
been　stone。　　The　does；　however；　jumped　with　a　start；　and
gazed　in　fright　in　every　direction。

〃Told　you！　　I　seen　where　your　bullet　hit　thet　pine　　half　a
foot　over　his　shoulder。　　Try　again　an'　aim　at　his　legs。〃

Roy　now　took　a　quicker　aim　and　pulled　trigger。　　A　puff　of
dust　right　at　the　feet　of　the　buck　showed　where　Roy's　lead
had　struck　this　time。　　With　a　single　bound；　wonderful　to　see；
the　big　deer　was　out　of　sight　behind　trees　and　brush。　　The
does　leaped　after　him。

〃Doggone　the　luck！〃　ejaculated　Roy；　red　in　the　face；　as　he
worked　the　lever　of　his　rifle。　　〃Never　could　shoot　downhill；
nohow！〃

His　rueful　apology　to　the　girls　for　missing　brought　a　merry
laugh　from　Bo。

〃Not　for　worlds　would　I　have　had　you　kill　that　beautiful
deer！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃We　won't　have　venison　steak　off　him；　that's　certain；〃
remarked　Dale；　dryly。　　〃An'　maybe　none　off　any　deer；　if　Roy
does　the　shootin'。〃

They　resumed　travel；　sheering　off　to　the　right　and　keeping
to　the　edge　of　the　intersecting　canuon。　　At　length　they　rode
down　to　the　bottom；　where　a　tiny　brook　babbled　through
willows；　and　they　followed　this　for　a　mile　or　so　down　to
where　it　flowed　into　the　larger　stream。　　A　dim　trail
overgrown　with　grass　showed　at　this　point。

〃Here's　where　we　part；〃　said　Dale。　　〃You'll　beat　me　into　my
camp；　but　I'll　get　there　sometime　after　dark。〃

〃Hey；　Milt；　I　forgot　about　thet　darned　pet　cougar　of　yours
an'　the　rest　of　your　menagerie。　　Reckon　they　won't　scare　the
girls？　　Especially　old　Tom？〃

〃You　won't　see　Tom　till　I　get　home；〃　replied　Dale。

〃Ain't　he　corralled　or　tied　up？〃

〃No。　　He　has　the　run　of　the　place。〃

〃Wal；　good…by；　then；　an'　rustle　along。〃

Dale　nodded　to　the　girls；　and；　turning　his　horse；　he　drove
the　pack…train　before　him　up　the　open　space　between　the
stream　and　the　wooded　slope。

Roy　stepped　off　his　horse　with　that　single　action　which
appeared　such　a　feat　to　Helen。

〃Guess　I'd　better　cinch　up；〃　he　said；　as　he　threw　a　stirrup
up　over　the　pommel　of　his　saddle。　　〃You　girls　are　goin'　to
see　wild　country。〃

〃Who's　old　Tom？〃　queried　Bo；　curiously。

〃Why；　he's　Milt's　pet　cougar。〃

〃Cougar？　　That's　a　panther　　a　mountain…lion；　didn't　he
say？〃

〃Shore　is。　　Tom　is　a　beauty。　　An'　if　he　takes　a　likin'　to　you
he'll　love　you；　play　with　you；　maul　you　half　to　death。〃

Bo　was　all　eyes。

〃Dale　has　other　pets；　too？〃　she　questioned；　eagerly。

〃I　never　was　up　to　his　camp　but　what　it　was　overrun　with
birds　an'　squirrels　an'　vermin　of　all　kinds；　as　tame　as　tame
as　cows。　　Too　darn　tame；　Milt　says。　　But　I　can't　figger　thet。
You　girls　will　never　want　to　leave　thet　senaca　of　his。〃

〃What's　a　senaca？〃　asked　Helen；　as　she　shifted　her　foot　to
let　him　tighten　the　cinches　on　her　saddle。

〃Thet's　Mexican　for　park；　I　guess；〃　he　replied。　　〃These
mountains　are　full　of　parks；　an'；　say；　I　don't　ever　want　to
see　no　prettier　place　till　I　get　to　heaven。　。　。　。　　There；
Ranger；　old　boy；　thet's　tight。〃

He　slapped　the　horse　affectionately；　and；　turning　to　his
own；　he　stepped　and　swung　his　long　length　up。

〃It　ain't　deep　crossin'　here。　　Come　on；〃　he　called；　and
spurred　his　bay。

The　stream　here　was　wide　and　it　looked　deep；　but　turned　out
to　be　deceptive。

〃Wal；　girls；　here　beginneth　the　second　lesson；〃　he　drawled；
cheerily。　　〃Ride　one　behind　the　other　　stick　close　to　me　
do　what　I　do　　an'　holler　when　you　want　to　rest　or　if
somethin'　goes　bad。〃

With　that　he　spurred　into　the　thicket。　　Bo　went　next　and
Helen　followed。　　The　willows　dragged　at　her　so　hard　that　she
was　unable　to　watch　Roy；　and　the　result　was　that　a
low…sweeping　branch　of　a　tree　knocked　her　hard　on　the　head。
It　hurt　and　startled　her；　and　roused　her　mettle。　　Roy　was
keeping　to　the　easy　trot　that　covered　ground　so　well；　and　he
led　up　a　slope　to　the　open　pine　forest。　　Here　the　ride　for
several　miles　was　straight；　level；　and　open。　　Helen　liked　the
forest　to…day。　　It　was　brown　and　green；　with　patches　of　gold
where　the　sun　struck。　　She　saw　her　first　bird　　big　blue
grouse　that　whirred　up　from　under　her　horse；　and　little
checkered　gray　quail　that　appeared　awkward　on　the　wing。
Several　times　Roy　pointed　out　deer　flashing　gray　across　some
forest　aisle；　and　often　when　he　pointed　Helen　was　not　quick
enough　to　see。

Helen　realized　that　this　ride　would　make　up　for　the　hideous
one　of　yesterday。　　So　far　she　had　been　only　barely　conscious
of　sore　places　and　aching　bones。　　These　she　would　bear　with。
She　loved　the　wild　and　the　beautiful；　both　of　which
increased　manifestly　with　every　mile。　　The　sun　was　warm；　the
air　fragrant　and　cool；　the　sky　blue　as　azure　and　so　deep
that　she　imagined　that　she　could　look　far　up　into　it。

Suddenly　Roy　reined　in　so　sharply　that　he　pulled　the　bay　up
short。

〃Look！〃　he　called；　sharply。

Bo　screamed。

〃Not　thet　way！　　Here！　　Aw；　he's　gone！〃

〃Nell！　　It　was　a　bear！　　I　saw　it！　　Oh！　　not　like　circus　bears　at
all！〃　cried　Bo。

Helen　had　missed　her　opportunity。

〃Reckon　he　was　a　grizzly；　an'　I'm　jest　as　well　pleased　thet
he　loped　off；〃　said　Roy。　　Altering　his　course　somewhat；　he
led　to　an　old　rotten　log　that　the　bear　had　been　digging　in。
〃After　grubs。　　There；　see　his　track。　　He　was　a　whopper　shore
enough。〃

They　rode　on；　out　to　a　high　point　that　overlooked　canuon　and
range；　gorge　and　ridge；　green　and　black　as　far　as　Helen
could　see。　　The　ranges　were　bold　and　long；　climbing　to　the
central　uplift；　where　a　number　of　fringed　peaks　raised　their
heads　to　the　vast　bare　dome　of　Old　Baldy。　　Far　as　vision
could　see；　to　the　right　lay　one　rolling　forest　of　pin