the man of the forest-第37章
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of the forest slope。 Helen's mount climbed on a run；
snorting and heaving； through aspens； brush； and timber； to
come out into a narrow； long opening extending lengthwise up
the slope。
A sudden prolonged crash ahead alarmed Helen and halted her
horse。 She saw a shaking of aspens。 Then a huge brown beast
leaped as a cat out of the woods。 It was a bear of enormous
size。 Helen's heart stopped her tongue clove to the roof
of her mouth。 The bear turned。 His mouth was open； red and
dripping。 He looked shaggy； gray。 He let out a terrible
bawl。 Helen's every muscle froze stiff。 Her horse plunged
high and sidewise； wheeling almost in the air； neighing his
terror。 Like a stone she dropped from the saddle。 She did
not see the horse break into the woods； but she heard him。
Her gaze never left the bear even while she was falling； and
it seemed she alighted in an upright position with her back
against a bush。 It upheld her。 The bear wagged his huge head
from side to side。 Then； as the hound barked close at hand；
he turned to run heavily uphill and out of the opening。
The instant of his disappearance was one of collapse for
Helen。 Frozen with horror； she had been unable to move or
feel or think。 All at once she was a quivering mass of cold；
helpless flesh； wet with perspiration； sick with a
shuddering； retching； internal convulsion； her mind
liberated from paralyzing shock。 The moment was as horrible
as that in which the bear had bawled his frightful rage。 A
stark； icy； black emotion seemed in possession of her。 She
could not lift a hand； yet all of her body appeared shaking。
There was a fluttering； a strangling in her throat。 The
crushing weight that surrounded her heart eased before she
recovered use of her limbs。 Then； the naked and terrible
thing was gone； like a nightmare giving way to
consciousness。 What blessed relief！ Helen wildly gazed about
her。 The bear and hound were out of sight； and so was her
horse。 She stood up very dizzy and weak。 Thought of Bo then
seemed to revive her； to shock different life and feeling
throughout all her cold extremities。 She listened。
She heard a thudding of hoofs down the slope； then Dale's
clear； strong call。 She answered。 It appeared long before he
burst out of the woods； riding hard and leading her horse。
In that time she recovered fully； and when he reached her；
to put a sudden halt upon the fiery Ranger； she caught the
bridle he threw and swiftly mounted her horse。 The feel of
the saddle seemed different。 Dale's piercing gray glance
thrilled her strangely。
〃You're white。 Are you hurt？〃 he said。
〃No。 I was scared。〃
〃But he threw you？〃
〃Yes； he certainly threw me。〃
〃What happened？〃
〃We heard the hound and we rode along the timber。 Then we
saw the bear a monster white coated 〃
〃I know。 It's a grizzly。 He killed the colt your pet。
Hurry now。 What about Bo？〃
〃Pedro was fighting the bear。 Bo said he'd be killed。 She
rode right up here。 My horse followed。 I couldn't have
stopped him。 But we lost Bo。 Right there the bear came out。
He roared。 My horse threw me and ran off。 Pedro's barking
saved me my life； I think。 Oh！ that was awful！ Then the
bear went up there。 。 。 。 And you came。〃
〃Bo's followin' the hound！〃 ejaculated Dale。 And； lifting
his hands to his mouth； he sent out a stentorian yell that
rolled up the slope； rang against the cliffs； pealed and
broke and died away。 Then he waited； listening。 From far up
the slope came a faint； wild cry； high…pitched and sweet； to
create strange echoes； floating away to die in the ravines。
〃She's after him！〃 declared Dale； grimly。
〃Bo's got your rifle；〃 said Helen。 〃Oh； we must hurry。〃
〃You go back；〃 ordered Dale； wheeling his horse。
〃No！〃 Helen felt that word leave her lips with the force of
a bullet。
Dale spurred Ranger and took to the open slope。 Helen kept
at his heels until timber was reached。 Here a steep trail
led up。 Dale dismounted。
〃Horse tracks bear tracks dog tracks；〃 he said；
bending over。 〃We'll have to walk up here。 It'll save our
horses an' maybe time； too。〃
〃Is Bo riding up there？〃 asked Helen； eying the steep
ascent。
〃She sure is。〃 With that Dale started up； leading his horse。
Helen followed。 It was rough and hard work。 She was lightly
clad； yet soon she was hot； laboring； and her heart began to
hurt。 When Dale halted to rest Helen was just ready to drop。
The baying of the hound； though infrequent； inspirited her。
But presently that sound was lost。 Dale said bear and hound
had gone over the ridge and as soon as the top was gained he
would hear them again。
〃Look there；〃 he said； presently； pointing to fresh tracks；
larger than those made by Bo's mustang。 〃Elk tracks。 We've
scared a big bull an' he's right ahead of us。 Look sharp an'
you'll see him。〃
Helen never climbed so hard and fast before； and when they
reached the ridge…top she was all tuckered out。 It was all
she could do to get on her horse。 Dale led along the crest
of this wooded ridge toward the western end； which was
considerably higher。 In places open rocky ground split the
green timber。 Dale pointed toward a promontory。
Helen saw a splendid elk silhouetted against the sky。 He was
a light gray over all his hindquarters； with shoulders and
head black。 His ponderous； wide…spread antlers towered over
him； adding to the wildness of his magnificent poise as he
stood there； looking down into the valley； no doubt
listening for the bay of the hound。 When he heard Dale's
horse he gave one bound； gracefully and wonderfully carrying
his antlers； to disappear in the green。
Again on a bare patch of ground Dale pointed down。 Helen saw
big round tracks； toeing in a little； that gave her a chill。
She knew these were grizzly tracks。
Hard riding was not possible on this ridge crest； a fact
that gave Helen time to catch her breath。 At length； coming
out upon the very summit of the mountain； Dale heard the
hound。 Helen's eyes feasted afar upon a wild scene of rugged
grandeur； before she looked down on this western slope at
her feet to see bare； gradual descent； leading down to
sparsely wooded bench and on to deep…green canuon。
〃Ride hard now！〃 yelled Dale。 〃I see Bo； an' I'll have to
ride to catch her。〃
Dale spurred down the slope。 Helen rode in his tracks and；
though she plunged so fast that she felt her hair stand up
with fright； she saw him draw away from her。 Sometimes her
horse slid on his haunches for a few yards； and at these
hazardous moments she got her feet out of the stirrups so as
to fall free from him if he went down。 She let him choose
the way； while she gazed ahead at Dale； and then farther on；
in the hope of seeing Bo。 At last she was rewarded。 Far Down
the wooded bench she saw a gray flash of the little mustang
and a bright glint of Bo's hair。 Her heart swelled。 Dale
would soon overhaul Bo and come between her and peril。 And
on the instant； though Helen was unconscious of it then； a
remarkable change came over her spirit。 Fear left her。 And a
hot； exalting； incomprehensible something took possession of
her。
She let the horse run； and when he had plunged to the foot
of that slope of soft ground he broke out across the open
bench at a pace that made the wind bite Helen's cheeks and
roar in her ears。 She lost sight of Dale。 It gave her a
strange； grim exultance。 She bent her eager gaze to find the
tracks of his horse； and she found them。 Also she made out
the tracks of Bo's mustang and the bear and the hound。 Her
horse； scenting game； perhaps； and afraid to be left alone；
settled into a fleet and powerful stride； sailing over logs
and brush。 That open bench had looked short； but it was
long； and Helen rode down the gradual descent at breakneck
speed。 She would not be left behind。 She had awakened to a
heedlessness of risk。 Something burned steadily within her。
A grim； hard anger of joy！ When she saw； far down another
open； gradual descent； that Dale had passed Bo and that Bo
was riding the little mustang as never before； then Helen
flamed with a madness to catch her； to beat her in that
wonderf
