the man of the forest-第36章

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what　he　means。　　It's　a　sort　of　shock。　　Nell；　we're　not　what　we
seem。　　We're　not　what　we　fondly　imagine　we　are。　　We've　lived
too　long　with　people　　too　far　away　from　the　earth。　　You
know　the　Bible　says　something　like　this：　'Dust　thou　art　and
to　dust　thou　shalt　return。'　Where　DO　we　come　from？〃



CHAPTER　XII

Days　passed。

Every　morning　Helen　awoke　with　a　wondering　question　as　to
what　this　day　would　bring　forth；　especially　with　regard　to
possible　news　from　her　uncle。　　It　must　come　sometime　and　she
was　anxious　for　it。　　Something　about　this　simple；　wild　camp
life　had　begun　to　grip　her。　　She　found　herself　shirking　daily
attention　to　the　clothes　she　had　brought　West。　　They　needed
it；　but　she　had　begun　to　see　how　superficial　they　really
were。　　On　the　other　hand；　camp…fire　tasks　had　come　to　be　a
pleasure。　　She　had　learned　a　great　deal　more　about　them　than
had　Bo。　　Worry　and　dread　were　always　impinging　upon　the
fringe　of　her　thoughts　　always　vaguely　present；　though
seldom　annoying。　　They　were　like　shadows　in　dreams。　　She
wanted　to　get　to　her　uncle's　ranch；　to　take　up　the　duties　of
her　new　life。　　But　she　was　not　prepared　to　believe　she　would
not　regret　this　wild　experience。　　She　must　get　away　from　that
in　order　to　see　it　clearly；　and　she　began　to　have　doubts　of
herself。

Meanwhile　the　active　and　restful　outdoor　life　went　on。　　Bo
leaned　more　and　more　toward　utter　reconciliation　to　it。　　Her
eyes　had　a　wonderful　flash；　like　blue　lightning；　her　cheeks
were　gold　and　brown；　her　hands　tanned　dark　as　an　Indian's。

She　could　vault　upon　the　gray　mustang；　or；　for　that　matter；
clear　over　his　back。　　She　learned　to　shoot　a　rifle　accurately
enough　to　win　Dale's　praise；　and　vowed　she　would　like　to
draw　a　bead　upon　a　grizzly　bear　or　upon　Snake　Anson。

〃Bo；　if　you　met　that　grizzly　Dale　said　has　been　prowling
round　camp　lately　you'd　run　right　up　a　tree；〃　declared
Helen；　one　morning；　when　Bo　seemed　particularly　boastful。

〃Don't　fool　yourself；〃　retorted　Bo。

〃But　I've　seen　you　run　from　a　mouse！〃

〃Sister；　couldn't　I　be　afraid　of　a　mouse　and　not　a　bear？〃

〃I　don't　see　how。〃

〃Well；　bears；　lions；　outlaws；　and　other　wild　beasts　are　to
be　met　with　here　in　the　West；　and　my　mind's　made　up；〃　said
Bo；　in　slow…nodding　deliberation。

They　argued　as　they　had　always　argued；　Helen　for　reason　and
common　sense　and　restraint；　Bo　on　the　principle　that　if　she
must　fight　it　was　better　to　get　in　the　first　blow。

The　morning　on　which　this　argument　took　place　Dale　was　a
long　time　in　catching　the　horses。　　When　he　did　come　in　he
shook　his　head　seriously。

〃Some　varmint's　been　chasin'　the　horses；〃　he　said；　as　he
reached　for　his　saddle。　　〃Did　you　hear　them　snortin'　an'
runnin'　last　night？〃

Neither　of　the　girls　had　been　awakened。

〃I　missed　one　of　the　colts；〃　went　on　Dale；　〃an'　I'm　goin'　to
ride　across　the　park。〃

Dale's　movements　were　quick　and　stern。　　It　was　significant
that　he　chose　his　heavier　rifle；　and；　mounting；　with　a　sharp
call　to　Pedro；　he　rode　off　without　another　word　to　the
girls。

Bo　watched　him　for　a　moment　and　then　began　to　saddle　the
mustang。

〃You　won't　follow　him？〃　asked　Helen；　quickly。

〃I　sure　will；〃　replied　Bo。　　〃He　didn't　forbid　it。〃

〃But　he　certainly　did　not　want　us。〃

〃He　might　not　want　you；　but　I'll　bet　he　wouldn't　object　to
me；　whatever's　up；〃　said　Bo；　shortly。

〃Oh！　　So　you　think　〃　exclaimed　Helen；　keenly　hurt。　　She　bit
her　tongue　to　keep　back　a　hot　reply。　　And　it　was　certain　that
a　bursting　gush　of　anger　flooded　over　her。　　Was　she；　then；
such　a　coward？　　Did　Dale　think　this　slip　of　a　sister；　so　wild
and　wilful；　was　a　stronger　woman　than　she？　　A　moment's　silent
strife　convinced　her　that　no　doubt　he　thought　so　and　no
doubt　he　was　right。　　Then　the　anger　centered　upon　herself；
and　Helen　neither　understood　nor　trusted　herself。

The　outcome　proved　an　uncontrollable　impulse。　　Helen　began　to
saddle　her　horse。　　She　had　the　task　half　accomplished　when
Bo's　call　made　her　look　up。

〃Listen！〃

Helen　heard　a　ringing；　wild　bay　of　the　hound。

〃That's　Pedro；〃　she　said；　with　a　thrill。

〃Sure。　　He's　running。　　We　never　heard　him　bay　like　that
before。〃

〃Where's　Dale？〃

〃He　rode　out　of　sight　across　there；〃　replied　Bo；　pointing。
〃And　Pedro's　running　toward　us　along　that　slope。　　He　must　be
a　mile　　two　miles　from　Dale。〃

〃But　Dale　will　follow。〃

〃Sure。　　But　he'd　need　wings　to　get　near　that　hound　now。　　Pedro
couldn't　have　gone　across　there　with　him。　。　。　。　　just
listen。〃

The　wild　note　of　the　hound　manifestly　stirred　Bo　to
irrepressible　action。　　Snatching　up　Dale's　lighter　rifle；　she
shoved　it　into　her　saddle…sheath；　and；　leaping　on　the
mustang；　she　ran　him　over　brush　and　brook；　straight　down　the
park　toward　the　place　Pedro　was　climbing。　　For　an　instant
Helen　stood　amazed　beyond　speech。　　When　Bo　sailed　over　a　big
log；　like　a　steeple…chaser；　then　Helen　answered　to　further
unconsidered　impulse　by　frantically　getting　her　saddle
fastened。　　Without　coat　or　hat　she　mounted。　　The　nervous　horse
bolted　almost　before　she　got　into　the　saddle。　　A　strange；
trenchant　trembling　coursed　through　all　her　veins。　　She
wanted　to　scream　for　Bo　to　wait。　　Bo　was　out　of　sight；　but
the　deep；　muddy　tracks　in　wet　places　and　the　path　through
the　long　grass　afforded　Helen　an　easy　trail　to　follow。　　In
fact；　her　horse　needed　no　guiding。　　He　ran　in　and　out　of　the
straggling　spruces　along　the　edge　of　the　park；　and　suddenly
wheeled　around　a　corner　of　trees　to　come　upon　the　gray
mustang　standing　still。　　Bo　was　looking　up　and　listening。

〃There　he　is！〃　cried　Bo；　as　the　hound　bayed　ringingly；
closer　to　them　this　time；　and　she　spurred　away。

Helen's　horse　followed　without　urging。　　He　was　excited。　　His
ears　were　up。　　Something　was　in　the　wind。　　Helen　had　never
ridden　along　this　broken　end　of　the　park；　and　Bo　was　not
easy　to　keep　up　with。　　She　led　across　bogs；　brooks；　swales；
rocky　little　ridges；　through　stretches　of　timber　and　groves
of　aspen　so　thick　Helen　could　scarcely　squeeze　through。　　Then
Bo　came　out　into　a　large　open　offshoot　of　the　park；　right
under　the　mountain　slope；　and　here　she　sat；　her　horse
watching　and　listening。　　Helen　rode　up　to　her；　imagining　once
that　she　had　heard　the　hound。

〃Look！　　Look！〃　Bo's　scream　made　her　mustang　stand　almost
straight　up。

Helen　gazed　up　to　see　a　big　brown　bear　with　a　frosted　coat
go　lumbering　across　an　opening　on　the　slope。

〃It's　a　grizzly！　　He'll　kill　Pedro！　　Oh；　where　is　Dale！〃　cried
Bo；　with　intense　excitement。

〃Bo！　　That　bear　is　running　down！　　We　　we　must　get　　out　of
his　road；〃　panted　Helen；　in　breathless　alarm。

〃Dale　hasn't　had　time　to　be　close。　。　。　。　　Oh；　I　wish　he'd
come！　　I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃Ride　back。　　At　least　wait　for　him。〃

Just　then　Pedro　spoke　differently；　in　savage　barks；　and
following　that　came　a　loud　growl　and　crashings　in　the　brush。
These　sounds　appeared　to　be　not　far　up　the　slope。

〃Nell！　　Do　you　hear？　　Pedro's　fighting　the　bear；〃　burst　out
Bo。　　Her　face　paled；　her　eyes　flashed　like　blue　steel。　　〃The
bear　'll　kill　him！〃

〃Oh；　that　would　be　dreadful！〃　replied　Helen；　in　distress。
〃But　what　on　earth　can　we　do？〃

〃HEL…LO；　DALE！〃　called　Bo；　at　the　highest　pitch　of　her
piercing　voice。

No　answer　came。　　A　heavy　crash　of　brush；　a　rolling　of　stones；
another　growl　from　the　slope　told　Helen　that　the　hound　had
brought　the　bear　to　bay。

〃Nell；　I'm　going　up；〃　said　Bo；　deliberately。

〃No…no！　　Are　you　mad？〃　returned　Helen。

〃The　bear　will　kill　Pedro。〃

〃He　might　kill　you。〃

〃You　ride　that　way　and　yell　for　Dale；〃　rejoined　Bo。

〃What　will　　you　do？〃　gasped　Helen。

〃I'll　shoot　at　the　bear　　scare　him　off。　　If　he　chases　me　he
can't　catch　me　coming　downhill。　　Dale　said　that。〃

〃You're　crazy！〃　cried　Helen；　as　Bo　looked　up　the　slope；
searching　for　open　ground。　　Then　she　pulled　the　rifle　from
its　sheath。

But　Bo　did　not　hear　or　did　not　care。　　She　spurred　the
mustang；　and　he；　wild　to　run；　flung　grass　and　dirt　from　his
heels。　　What　Helen　would　have　done　then　she　never　knew；　but
the　fact　was　that　her　horse　bolted　after　the　mustang。　　In　an
instant；　seemingly；　Bo　had　disappeared　in　the　gold　and　green
of　the　forest　slope。　　Helen's　mount　climbed　on　a　run；
snorting　and　heavin