the man of the forest-第25章
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〃Wal； I'm shore turned round；〃 he said。
〃You're not lost？〃 cried Bo。
〃Reckon I've been thet for a couple of hours；〃 he replied；
cheerfully。 〃Never did ride across here I had the direction；
but I'm blamed now if I can tell which way thet was。〃
Helen gazed at him in consternation。
〃Lost！〃 she echoed。
CHAPTER IX
A silence ensued； fraught with poignant fear for Helen； as
she gazed into Bo's whitening face。 She read her sister's
mind。 Bo was remembering tales of lost people who never were
found。
〃Me an' Milt get lost every day；〃 said Roy。 〃You don't
suppose any man can know all this big country。 It's nothin'
for us to be lost。〃
〃Oh！ 。 。 。 I was lost when I was little；〃 said Bo。
〃Wal； I reckon it'd been better not to tell you so offhand
like；〃 replied Roy； contritely。 〃Don't feel bad； now。 All I
need is a peek at Old Baldy。 Then I'll have my bearin'。 Come
on。〃
Helen's confidence returned as Roy led off at a fast trot。
He rode toward the westering sun； keeping to the ridge they
had ascended； until once more he came out upon a promontory。
Old Baldy loomed there； blacker and higher and closer。 The
dark forest showed round； yellow； bare spots like parks。
〃Not so far off the track；〃 said Roy； as he wheeled his
horse。 〃We'll make camp in Milt's senaca to…night。〃
He led down off the ridge into a valley and then up to
higher altitude； where the character of the forest changed。
The trees were no longer pines； but firs and spruce； growing
thin and exceedingly tall； with few branches below the
topmost foliage。 So dense was this forest that twilight
seemed to have come。
Travel was arduous。 Everywhere were windfalls that had to be
avoided； and not a rod was there without a fallen tree。 The
horses； laboring slowly； sometimes sank knee…deep into the
brown duff。 Gray moss festooned the tree…trunks and an
amber…green moss grew thick on the rotting logs。
Helen loved this forest primeval。 It was so still； so dark；
so gloomy； so full of shadows and shade； and a dank smell of
rotting wood； and sweet fragrance of spruce。 The great
windfalls； where trees were jammed together in dozens；
showed the savagery of the storms。 Wherever a single monarch
lay uprooted there had sprung up a number of ambitious sons；
jealous of one another； fighting for place。 Even the trees
fought one another！ The forest was a place of mystery； but
its strife could be read by any eye。 The lightnings had
split firs clear to the roots； and others it had circled
with ripping tear from top to trunk。
Time came； however； when the exceeding wildness of the
forest； in density and fallen timber； made it imperative for
Helen to put all her attention on the ground and trees in
her immediate vicinity。 So the pleasure of gazing ahead at
the beautiful wilderness was denied her。 Thereafter travel
became toil and the hours endless。
Roy led on； and Ranger followed； while the shadows darkened
under the trees。 She was reeling in her saddle； half blind
and sick； when Roy called out cheerily that they were almost
there。
Whatever his idea was； to Helen it seemed many miles that
she followed him farther； out of the heavy…timbered forest
down upon slopes of low spruce； like evergreen； which
descended sharply to another level； where dark； shallow
streams flowed gently and the solemn stillness held a low
murmur of falling water； and at last the wood ended upon a
wonderful park full of a thick； rich； golden light of
fast…fading sunset。
〃Smell the smoke；〃 said Roy。 〃By Solomon！ if Milt ain't here
ahead of me！〃
He rode on。 Helen's weary gaze took in the round senaca； the
circling black slopes； leading up to craggy rims all gold
and red in the last flare of the sun； then all the spirit
left in her flashed up in thrilling wonder at this
exquisite； wild； and colorful spot。
Horses were grazing out in the long grass and there were
deer grazing with them。 Roy led round a corner of the
fringed； bordering woodland； and there； under lofty trees；
shone a camp…fire。 Huge gray rocks loomed beyond； and then
cliffs rose step by step to a notch in the mountain wall；
over which poured a thin； lacy waterfall。 As Helen gazed in
rapture the sunset gold faded to white and all the western
slope of the amphitheater darkened。
Dale's tall form appeared。
〃Reckon you're late；〃 he said； as with a comprehensive flash
of eye he took in the three。
〃Milt； I got lost；〃 replied Roy。
〃I feared as much。 。 。 。 You girls look like you'd done
better to ride with me；〃 went on Dale； as he offered a hand
to help Bo off。 She took it； tried to get her foot out of
the stirrups； and then she slid from the saddle into Dale's
arms。 He placed her on her feet and； supporting her； said；
solicitously： 〃A hundred…mile ride in three days for a
tenderfoot is somethin' your uncle Al won't believe。 。 。 。
Come； walk if it kills you！〃
Whereupon he led Bo； very much as if he were teaching a
child to walk。 The fact that the voluble Bo had nothing to
say was significant to Helen； who was following； with the
assistance of Roy。
One of the huge rocks resembled a sea…shell in that it
contained a hollow over which the wide…spreading shelf
flared out。 It reached toward branches of great pines。 A
spring burst from a crack in the solid rock。 The campfire
blazed under a pine； and the blue column of smoke rose just
in front of the shelving rock。 Packs were lying on the grass
and some of them were open。 There were no signs here of a
permanent habitation of the hunter。 But farther on were
other huge rocks； leaning； cracked； and forming caverns；
some of which perhaps he utilized。
〃My camp is just back；〃 said Dale； as if he had read Helen's
mind。 〃To…morrow we'll fix up comfortable…like round here
for you girls。〃
Helen and Bo were made as easy as blankets and saddles could
make them； and the men went about their tasks。
〃Nell isn't this a dream？〃 murmured Bo。
〃No； child。 It's real terribly real；〃 replied Helen。 〃Now
that we're here with that awful ride over we can
think。〃
〃It's so pretty here；〃 yawned Bo。 〃I'd just as lief Uncle
Al didn't find us very soon。〃
〃Bo！ He's a sick man。 Think what the worry will be to him。〃
〃I'll bet if he knows Dale he won't be so worried。〃
〃Dale told us Uncle Al disliked him。〃
〃Pooh！ What difference does that make？ 。 。 。 Oh； I don't
know which I am hungrier or tireder！〃
〃I couldn't eat to…night；〃 said Helen； wearily。
When she stretched out she had a vague； delicious sensation
that that was the end of Helen Rayner； and she was glad。
Above her； through the lacy； fernlike pine…needles； she saw
blue sky and a pale star just showing。 Twilight was stealing
down swiftly。 The silence was beautiful； seemingly
undisturbed by the soft； silky； dreamy fall of water。 Helen
closed her eyes； ready for sleep； with the physical
commotion within her body gradually yielding。 In some places
her bones felt as if they had come out through her flesh； in
others throbbed deep…seated aches； her muscles appeared
slowly to subside； to relax； with the quivering twinges
ceasing one by one； through muscle and bone； through all her
body； pulsed a burning current。
Bo's head dropped on Helen's shoulder。 Sense became vague to
Helen。 She lost the low murmur of the waterfall； and then
the sound or feeling of some one at the campfire。 And her
last conscious thought was that she tried to open her eyes
and could not。
When she awoke all was bright。 The sun shone almost directly
overhead。 Helen was astounded。 Bo lay wrapped in deep sleep；
her face flushed； with beads of perspiration on her brow and
the chestnut curls damp。 Helen threw down the blankets； and
then； gathering courage for she felt as if her back was
broken she endeavored to sit up。 In vain！ Her spirit was
willing； but her muscles refused to act。 It must take a
violent spasmodic effort。 She tried it with shut eyes； and；
succeeding； sat there trembling。 The commotion she had made
in the blankets awoke Bo； and she blinked her surprised blue
eyes in the sunlight。
〃Hello Nell！ do I have to get up？〃 she asked；
sleepily。
〃Can you？〃 qu
