the man of the forest-第31章
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was inimical to the kind of thought that had habitually been
hers； She found the new thought absorbing； yet when she
tried to name it she found that； after all； she had only
felt。 At the meal hour she was more than usually quiet。 She
saw that Dale noticed it and was trying to interest her or
distract her attention。 He succeeded； but she did not choose
to let him see that。 She strolled away alone to her seat
under the pine。 Bo passed her once； and cried；
tantalizingly：
〃My； Nell； but you're growing romantic！〃
Never before in Helen's life had the beauty of the evening
star seemed so exquisite or the twilight so moving and
shadowy or the darkness so charged with loneliness。 It was
their environment the accompaniment of wild wolf…mourn；
of the murmuring waterfall； of this strange man of the
forest and the unfamiliar elements among which he made his home。
Next morning； her energy having returned； Helen shared Bo's
lesson in bridling and saddling her horse； and in riding。
Bo； however； rode so fast and so hard that for Helen to
share her company was impossible。 And Dale； interested and
amused； yet anxious； spent most of his time with Bo。 It was
thus that Helen rode all over the park alone。 She was
astonished at its size； when from almost any point it looked
so small。 The atmosphere deceived her。 How clearly she could
see！ And she began to judge distance by the size of familiar
things。 A horse； looked at across the longest length of the
park； seemed very small indeed。 Here and there she rode upon
dark； swift； little brooks； exquisitely clear and
amber…colored and almost hidden from sight by the long
grass。 These all ran one way； and united to form a deeper
brook that apparently wound under the cliffs at the west
end； and plunged to an outlet in narrow clefts。 When Dale
and Bo came to her once she made inquiry； and she was
surprised to learn from Dale that this brook disappeared in
a hole in the rocks and had an outlet on the other side of
the mountain。 Sometime he would take them to the lake it
formed。
〃Over the mountain？〃 asked Helen； again remembering that she
must regard herself as a fugitive。 〃Will it be safe to leave
our hiding…place？ I forget so often why we are here。〃
〃We would be better hidden over there than here；〃 replied
Dale。 〃The valley on that side is accessible only from that
ridge。 An' don't worry about bein' found。 I told you Roy
Beeman is watchin' Anson an' his gang。 Roy will keep between
them an' us。〃
Helen was reassured； yet there must always linger in the
background of her mind a sense of dread。 In spite of this；
she determined to make the most of her opportunity。 Bo was a
stimulus。 And so Helen spent the rest of that day riding and
tagging after her sister。
The next day was less hard on Helen。 Activity； rest； eating；
and sleeping took on a wonderful new meaning to her。 She had
really never known them as strange joys。 She rode； she
walked； she climbed a little； she dozed under her pine…tree；
she worked helping Dale at camp…fire tasks； and when night
came she said she did not know herself。 That fact haunted
her in vague； deep dreams。 Upon awakening she forgot her
resolve to study herself。 That day passed。 And then several
more went swiftly before she adapted herself to a situation
she had reason to believe might last for weeks and even months。
It was afternoon that Helen loved best of all the time of
the day。 The sunrise was fresh； beautiful； the morning was
windy； fragrant； the sunset was rosy； glorious； the twilight
was sad； changing； and night seemed infinitely sweet with
its stars and silence and sleep。 But the afternoon； when
nothing changed； when all was serene； when time seemed to
halt； that was her choice； and her solace。
One afternoon she had camp all to herself。 Bo was riding。
Dale had climbed the mountain to see if he could find any
trace of tracks or see any smoke from camp…fire。 Bud was
nowhere to be seen； nor any of the other pets。 Tom had gone
off to some sunny ledge where he could bask in the sun；
after the habit of the wilder brothers of his species。 Pedro
had not been seen for a night and a day； a fact that Helen
had noted with concern。 However； she had forgotten him； and
therefore was the more surprised to see him coming limping
into camp on three legs。
〃Why； Pedro！ You have been fighting。 Come here；〃 she called。
The hound did not look guilty。 He limped to her and held up
his right fore paw。 The action was unmistakable。 Helen
examined the injured member and presently found a piece of
what looked like mussel…shell embedded deeply between the
toes。 The wound was swollen； bloody； and evidently very
painful。 Pedro whined。 Helen had to exert all the strength
of her fingers to pull it out。 Then Pedro howled。 But
immediately he showed his gratitude by licking her hand。
Helen bathed his paw and bound it up。
When Dale returned she related the incident and； showing the
piece of shell； she asked： 〃Where did that come from ？ Are
there shells in the mountains？〃
〃Once this country was under the sea；〃 replied Dale。 〃I've
found things that 'd make you wonder。〃
〃Under the sea！〃 ejaculated Helen。 It was one thing to have
read of such a strange fact； but a vastly different one to
realize it here among these lofty peaks。 Dale was always
showing her something or telling her something that
astounded her。
〃Look here；〃 he said one day。 〃What do you make of that
little bunch of aspens？〃
They were on the farther side of the park and were resting
under a pine…tree。 The forest here encroached upon the park
with its straggling lines of spruce and groves of aspen。 The
little clump of aspens did not differ from hundreds Helen
had seen。
〃I don't make anything particularly of it；〃 replied Helen；
dubiously。 〃Just a tiny grove of aspens some very small；
some larger； but none very big。 But it's pretty with its
green and yellow leaves fluttering and quivering。〃
〃It doesn't make you think of a fight？〃
〃Fight？ No； it certainly does not；〃 replied Helen。
〃Well； it's as good an example of fight； of strife； of
selfishness； as you will find in the forest；〃 he said。 〃Now
come over； you an' Bo； an' let me show you what I mean。〃
〃Come on； Nell；〃 cried Bo； with enthusiasm。 〃He'll open our
eyes some more。〃
Nothing loath； Helen went with them to the little clump of
aspens。
〃About a hundred altogether；〃 said Dale。 〃They're pretty
well shaded by the spruces； but they get the sunlight from
east an' south。 These little trees all came from the same
seedlings。 They're all the same age。 Four of them stand；
say； ten feet or more high an' they're as large around as my
wrist。 Here's one that's largest。 See how full…foliaged he
is how he stands over most of the others； but not so much
over these four next to him。 They all stand close together；
very close； you see。 Most of them are no larger than my
thumb。 Look how few branches they have； an' none low down。
Look at how few leaves。 Do you see how all the branches
stand out toward the east an' south how the leaves； of
course； face the same way？ See how one branch of one tree
bends aside one from another tree。 That's a fight for the
sunlight。 Here are one two three dead trees。 Look； I
can snap them off 。 An' now look down under them。 Here are
little trees five feet high four feet high down to
these only a foot high。 Look how pale； delicate； fragile；
unhealthy！ They get so little sunshine。 They were born with
the other trees； but did not get an equal start。 Position
gives the advantage； perhaps。〃
Dale led the girls around the little grove； illustrating his
words by action。 He seemed deeply in earnest。
〃You understand it's a fight for water an' sun。 But mostly
sun； because； if the leaves can absorb the sun； the tree an'
roots will grow to grasp the needed moisture。 Shade is death
slow death to the life of trees。 These little aspens are
fightin' for place in the sunlight。 It is a merciless
battle。 They push an' bend one another's branches aside an'
choke them。 Only perhaps half of these aspens will survive；
to make one of the l
