the man of the forest-第3章
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reflected Dale。 Circumstances； movements； usually were not
strange to him。 His methods and habits were seldom changed
by chance。 The matter； then； of his turning off a course out
of his way for no apparent reason； and of his having
overheard a plot singularly involving a young girl； was
indeed an adventure to provoke thought。 It provoked more；
for Dale grew conscious of an unfamiliar smoldering heat
along his veins。 He who had little to do with the strife of
men； and nothing to do with anger； felt his blood grow hot
at the cowardly trap laid for an innocent girl。
〃Old Al won't listen to me；〃 pondered Dale。 〃An' even if he
did； he wouldn't believe me。 Maybe nobody will。 。 。 。 All
the same； Snake Anson won't get that girl。〃
With these last words Dale satisfied himself of his own
position； and his pondering ceased。 Taking his rifle； he
descended from the loft and peered out of the door。 The
night had grown darker； windier； cooler； broken clouds were
scudding across the sky； only a few stars showed； fine rain
was blowing from the northwest； and the forest seemed full
of a low； dull roar。
〃Reckon I'd better hang up here；〃 he said； and turned to the
fire。 The coals were red now。 From the depths of his
hunting…coat he procured a little bag of salt and some
strips of dried meat。 These strips he laid for a moment on
the hot embers； until they began to sizzle and curl； then
with a sharpened stick he removed them and ate like a hungry
hunter grateful for little。
He sat on a block of wood with his palms spread to the dying
warmth of the fire and his eyes fixed upon the changing；
glowing； golden embers。 Outside； the wind continued to rise
and the moan of the forest increased to a roar。 Dale felt
the comfortable warmth stealing over him； drowsily lulling；
and he heard the storm…wind in the trees； now like a
waterfall； and anon like a retreating army； and again low
and sad； and he saw pictures in the glowing embers； strange
as dreams。
Presently he rose and； climbing to the loft； he stretched
himself out； and soon fell asleep。
When the gray dawn broke he was on his way； 'cross…country；
to the village of Pine。
During the night the wind had shifted and the rain had
ceased。 A suspicion of frost shone on the grass in open
places。 All was gray the parks； the glades and deeper；
darker gray marked the aisles of the forest。 Shadows lurked
under the trees and the silence seemed consistent with
spectral forms。 Then the east kindled； the gray lightened；
the dreaming woodland awoke to the far…reaching rays of a
bursting red sun。
This was always the happiest moment of Dale's lonely days；
as sunset was his saddest。 He responded； and there was
something in his blood that answered the whistle of a stag
from a near…by ridge。 His strides were long； noiseless； and
they left dark trace where his feet brushed the dew…laden
grass。
Dale pursued a zigzag course over the ridges to escape the
hardest climbing； but the 〃senacas〃 those parklike
meadows so named by Mexican sheep…herders were as round
and level as if they had been made by man in beautiful
contrast to the dark…green； rough； and rugged ridges。 Both
open senaca and dense wooded ridge showed to his quick eye
an abundance of game。 The cracking of twigs and disappearing
flash of gray among the spruces； a round black lumbering
object； a twittering in the brush； and stealthy steps； were
all easy signs for Dale to read。 Once； as he noiselessly
emerged into a little glade； he espied a red fox stalking
some quarry； which； as he advanced； proved to be a flock of
partridges。 They whirred up； brushing the branches； and the
fox trotted away。 In every senaca Dale encountered wild
turkeys feeding on the seeds of the high grass。
It had always been his custom； on his visits to Pine； to
kill and pack fresh meat down to several old friends； who
were glad to give him lodging。 And； hurried though he was
now； he did not intend to make an exception of this trip。
At length he got down into the pine belt； where the great；
gnarled； yellow trees soared aloft； stately； and aloof from
one another； and the ground was a brown； odorous； springy
mat of pine…needles； level as a floor。 Squirrels watched him
from all around； scurrying away at his near approach
tiny； brown； light…striped squirrels； and larger ones；
russet…colored； and the splendid dark…grays with their white
bushy tails and plumed ears。
This belt of pine ended abruptly upon wide； gray； rolling；
open land； almost like a prairie； with foot…hills lifting
near and far； and the red…gold blaze of aspen thickets
catching the morning sun。 Here Dale flushed a flock of wild
turkeys； upward of forty in number； and their subdued color
of gray flecked with white； and graceful； sleek build；
showed them to be hens。 There was not a gobbler in the
flock。 They began to run pell…mell out into the grass； until
only their heads appeared bobbing along； and finally
disappeared。 Dale caught a glimpse of skulking coyotes that
evidently had been stalking the turkeys； and as they saw him
and darted into the timber he took a quick shot at the
hindmost。 His bullet struck low； as he had meant it to； but
too low； and the coyote got only a dusting of earth and
pine…needles thrown up into his face。 This frightened him so
that he leaped aside blindly to butt into a tree； rolled
over； gained his feet； and then the cover of the forest。
Dale was amused at this。 His hand was against all the
predatory beasts of the forest； though he had learned that
lion and bear and wolf and fox were all as necessary to the
great scheme of nature as were the gentle； beautiful wild
creatures upon which they preyed。 But some he loved better
than others； and so he deplored the inexplicable cruelty。
He crossed the wide； grassy plain and struck another gradual
descent where aspens and pines crowded a shallow ravine and
warm； sun…lighted glades bordered along a sparkling brook。
Here be heard a turkey gobble； and that was a signal for him
to change his course and make a crouching； silent detour
around a clump of aspens。 In a sunny patch of grass a dozen
or more big gobblers stood； all suspiciously facing in his
direction； heads erect； with that wild aspect peculiar to
their species。 Old wild turkey gobblers were the most
difficult game to stalk。 Dale shot two of them。 The others
began to run like ostriches； thudding over the ground；
spreading their wings； and with that running start launched
their heavy bodies into whirring flight。 They flew low； at
about the height of a man from the grass； and vanished in
the woods。
Dale threw the two turkeys over his shoulder and went on his
way。 Soon he came to a break in the forest level； from which
he gazed down a league…long slope of pine and cedar； out
upon the bare； glistening desert； stretching away； endlessly
rolling out to the dim； dark horizon line。
The little hamlet of Pine lay on the last level of sparsely
timbered forest。 A road； running parallel with a
dark…watered； swift…flowing stream； divided the cluster of
log cabins from which columns of blue smoke drifted lazily
aloft。 Fields of corn and fields of oats； yellow in the
sunlight； surrounded the village； and green pastures； dotted
with horses and cattle； reached away to the denser woodland。
This site appeared to be a natural clearing； for there was
no evidence of cut timber。 The scene was rather too wild to
be pastoral； but it was serene； tranquil； giving the
impression of a remote community； prosperous and happy；
drifting along the peaceful tenor of sequestered lives。
Dale halted before a neat little log cabin and a little
patch of garden bordered with sunflowers。 His call was
answered by an old woman； gray and bent； but remarkably
spry； who appeared at the door。
〃Why； land's sakes； if it ain't Milt Dale！〃 she exclaimed；
in welcome。
〃Reckon it's me； Mrs。 Cass；〃 he replied。 〃An； I've brought
you a turkey。〃
〃Milt； you're that good boy who never forgits old Widow
Cass。 。 。 。 What a gobbler！ First one I've seen this fall。
My man Tom used to fetch home gobblers like that。 。 。 。 An'
mebbe he'll come home again
