the man of the forest-第26章
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eyes in the sunlight。
〃Hello Nell！ do I have to get up？〃 she asked；
sleepily。
〃Can you？〃 queried Helen。
〃Can I what？〃 Bo was now thoroughly awake and lay there
staring at her sister。
〃Why get up。〃
〃I'd like to know why not；〃 retorted Bo； as she made the
effort。 She got one arm and shoulder up； only to flop back
like a crippled thing。 And she uttered the most piteous
little moan。 〃I'm dead！ I know I am！〃
〃Well； if you're going to be a Western girl you'd better
have spunk enough to move。〃
〃A…huh！〃 ejaculated Bo。 Then she rolled over； not without
groans； and； once upon her face； she raised herself on her
hands and turned to a sitting posture。 〃Where's everybody？ 。
。 。 Oh； Nell； it's perfectly lovely here。 Paradise！〃
Helen looked around。 A fire was smoldering。 No one was in
sight。 Wonderful distant colors seemed to strike her glance
as she tried to fix it upon near…by objects。 A beautiful
little green tent or shack had been erected out of spruce
boughs。 It had a slanting roof that sloped all the way from
a ridge…pole to the ground； half of the opening in front was
closed； as were the sides。 The spruce boughs appeared all to
be laid in the same direction； giving it a smooth； compact
appearance； actually as if it had grown there。
〃That lean…to wasn't there last night？〃 inquired Bo。
〃I didn't see it。 Lean…to？ Where'd you get that name？〃
〃It's Western； my dear。 I'll bet they put it up for us。 。 。
。 Sure； I see our bags inside。 Let's get up。 It must be
late。〃
The girls had considerable fun as well as pain in getting up
and keeping each other erect until their limbs would hold
them firmly。 They were delighted with the spruce lean…to。 It
faced the open and stood just under the wide…spreading shelf
of rock。 The tiny outlet from the spring flowed beside it
and spilled its clear water over a stone； to fall into a
little pool。 The floor of this woodland habitation consisted
of tips of spruce boughs to about a foot in depth； all laid
one way； smooth and springy； and so sweetly odorous that the
air seemed intoxicating。 Helen and Bo opened their baggage；
and what with use of the cold water； brush and comb； and
clean blouses； they made themselves feel as comfortable as
possible； considering the excruciating aches。 Then they went
out to the campfire。
Helen's eye was attracted by moving objects near at hand。
Then simultaneously with Bo's cry of delight Helen saw a
beautiful doe approaching under the trees。 Dale walked
beside it。
〃You sure had a long sleep；〃 was the hunter's greeting。 〃I
reckon you both look better。〃
〃Good morning。 Or is it afternoon？ We're just able to move
about；〃 said Helen。
〃I could ride；〃 declared Bo； stoutly。 〃Oh； Nell； look at the
deer！ It's coming to me。〃
The doe had hung back a little as Dale reached the
camp…fire。 It was a gray； slender creature； smooth as silk；
with great dark eyes。 It stood a moment； long ears erect；
and then with a graceful little trot came up to Bo and
reached a slim nose for her outstretched hand。 All about it；
except the beautiful soft eyes； seemed wild； and yet it was
as tame as a kitten。 Then； suddenly； as Bo fondled the long
ears； it gave a start and； breaking away； ran back out of
sight under the pines。
〃What frightened it？〃 asked Bo。
Dale pointed up at the wall under the shelving roof of rock。
There； twenty feet from the ground； curled up on a ledge；
lay a huge tawny animal with a face like that of a cat。
〃She's afraid of Tom；〃 replied Dale。 〃Recognizes him as a
hereditary foe； I guess。 I can't make friends of them。〃
〃Oh！ So that's Tom the pet lion！〃 exclaimed Bo。 〃Ugh！ No
wonder that deer ran off！〃
〃How long has he been up there？〃 queried Helen； gazing
fascinated at Dale's famous pet。
〃I couldn't say。 Tom comes an' goes；〃 replied Dale。 〃But I
sent him up there last night。〃
〃And he was there perfectly free right over us
while we slept！〃 burst out Bo。
〃Yes。 An' I reckon you slept the safer for that。〃
〃Of all things！ Nell； isn't he a monster？ But he doesn't
look like a lion an African lion。 He's a panther。 I saw
his like at the circus once。〃
〃He's a cougar；〃 said Dale。 〃The panther is long and slim。
Tom is not only long； but thick an' round。 I've had him four
years。 An' he was a kitten no bigger 'n my fist when I got
him。〃
〃Is he perfectly tame safe？〃 asked Helen； anxiously。
〃I've never told anybody that Tom was safe； but he is；〃
replied Dale。 〃You can absolutely believe it。 A wild cougar
wouldn't attack a man unless cornered or starved。 An' Tom is
like a big kitten。〃
The beast raised his great catlike face； with its sleepy；
half…shut eyes； and looked down upon them。
〃Shall I call him down？〃 inquired Dale。
For once Bo did not find her voice。
〃Let us get a little more used to him at a distance；〃
replied Helen； with a little laugh。
〃If he comes to you； just rub his head an' you'll see how
tame he is；〃 said Dale。 〃Reckon you're both hungry？〃
〃Not so very；〃 returned Helen； aware of his penetrating gray
gaze upon her。
〃Well； I am；〃 vouchsafed Bo。
〃Soon as the turkey's done we'll eat。 My camp is round
between the rocks。 I'll call you。〃
Not until his broad back was turned did Helen notice that
the hunter looked different。 Then she saw he wore a lighter；
cleaner suit of buckskin； with no coat； and instead of the
high…heeled horseman's boots he wore moccasins and leggings。
The change made him appear more lithe。
〃Nell； I don't know what you think； but _I_ call him
handsome；〃 declared Bo。
Helen had no idea what she thought。
〃Let's try to walk some；〃 she suggested。
So they essayed that painful task and got as far as a pine
log some few rods from their camp。 This point was close to
the edge of the park； from which there was an unobstructed
view。
〃My！ What a place！〃 exclaimed Bo； with eyes wide and round。
〃Oh； beautiful！〃 breathed Helen。
An unexpected blaze of color drew her gaze first。 Out of the
black spruce slopes shone patches of aspens； gloriously red
and gold； and low down along the edge of timber troops of
aspens ran out into the park； not yet so blazing as those
above； but purple and yellow and white in the sunshine。
Masses of silver spruce； like trees in moonlight； bordered
the park； sending out here and there an isolated tree； sharp
as a spear； with under…branches close to the ground。 Long
golden…green grass； resembling half…ripe wheat； covered the
entire floor of the park； gently waving to the wind。 Above
sheered the black； gold…patched slopes； steep and
unscalable； rising to buttresses of dark； iron…hued rock。
And to the east circled the rows of cliff…bench； gray and
old and fringed； splitting at the top in the notch where the
lacy； slumberous waterfall； like white smoke； fell and
vanished； to reappear in wider sheet of lace； only to fall
and vanish again in the green depths。
It was a verdant valley； deep…set in the mountain walls；
wild and sad and lonesome。 The waterfall dominated the
spirit of the place； dreamy and sleepy and tranquil； it
murmured sweetly on one breath of wind； and lulled with
another； and sometimes died out altogether； only to come
again in soft； strange roar。
〃Paradise Park！〃 whispered Bo to herself。
A call from Dale disturbed their raptures。 Turning； they
hobbled with eager but painful steps in the direction of a
larger camp…fire； situated to the right of the great rock
that sheltered their lean…to。 No hut or house showed there
and none was needed。 Hiding…places and homes for a hundred
hunters were there in the sections of caverned cliffs； split
off in bygone ages from the mountain wall above。 A few
stately pines stood out from the rocks； and a clump of
silver spruce ran down to a brown brook。 This camp was only
a step from the lean…to； round the corner of a huge rock；
yet it had been out of sight。 Here indeed was evidence of a
hunter's home pelts and skins and antlers； a neat pile of
split fire…wood； a long ledge of rock； well sheltered； and
loaded with bags like a huge pantry…shelf； packs and ropes
and saddles； tools and weapons； and a platform of dry
