the man of the forest-第38章
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was riding the little mustang as never before； then Helen
flamed with a madness to catch her； to beat her in that
wonderful chase； to show her and Dale what there really was
in the depths of Helen Rayner。
Her ambition was to be short…lived； she divined from the lay
of the land ahead； but the ride she lived then for a flying
mile was something that would always blanch her cheeks and
prick her skin in remembrance。
The open ground was only too short。 That thundering pace
soon brought Helen's horse to the timber。 Here it took all
her strength to check his headlong flight over deadfalls and
between small jack…pines。 Helen lost sight of Bo； and she
realized it would take all her wits to keep from getting
lost。 She had to follow the trail； and in some places it was
hard to see from horseback。
Besides； her horse was mettlesome； thoroughly aroused； and
he wanted a free rein and his own way。 Helen tried that；
only to lose the trail and to get sundry knocks from trees
and branches。 She could not hear the hound； nor Dale。 The
pines were small； close together； and tough。 They were hard
to bend。 Helen hurt her hands； scratched her face； barked
her knees。 The horse formed a habit suddenly of deciding to
go the way he liked instead of the way Helen guided him； and
when he plunged between saplings too close to permit easy
passage it was exceedingly hard on her。 That did not make
any difference to Helen。 Once worked into a frenzy； her
blood stayed at high pressure。 She did not argue with
herself about a need of desperate hurry。 Even a blow on the
head that nearly blinded her did not in the least retard
her。 The horse could hardly be held； and not at all in the
few open places。
At last Helen reached another slope。 Coming out upon canuon
rim； she heard Dale's clear call； far down； and Bo's
answering peal； high and piercing； with its note of exultant
wildness。 Helen also heard the bear and the hound fighting
at the bottom of this canuon。
Here Helen again missed the tracks made by Dale and Bo。 The
descent looked impassable。 She rode back along the rim； then
forward。 Finally she found where the ground had been plowed
deep by hoofs； down over little banks。 Helen's horse balked
at these jumps。 When she goaded him over them she went
forward on his neck。 It seemed like riding straight
downhill。 The mad spirit of that chase grew more stingingly
keen to Helen as the obstacles grew。 Then； once more the bay
of the hound and the bawl of the bear made a demon of her
horse。 He snorted a shrill defiance。 He plunged with fore
hoofs in the air。 He slid and broke a way down the steep；
soft banks； through the thick brush and thick clusters of
saplings； sending loose rocks and earth into avalanches
ahead of him。 He fell over one bank； but a thicket of aspens
upheld him so that he rebounded and gained his feet。 The
sounds of fight ceased； but Dale's thrilling call floated up
on the pine…scented air。
Before Helen realized it she was at the foot of the slope；
in a narrow canuon…bed； full of rocks and trees； with a soft
roar of running water filling her ears。 Tracks were
everywhere； and when she came to the first open place she
saw where the grizzly had plunged off a sandy bar into the
water。 Here he had fought Pedro。 Signs of that battle were
easy to read。 Helen saw where his huge tracks； still wet；
led up the opposite sandy bank。
Then down…stream Helen did some more reckless and splendid
riding。 On level ground the horse was great。 Once he leaped
clear across the brook。 Every plunge； every turn Helen
expected to come upon Dale and Bo facing the bear。 The canuon
narrowed； the stream…bed deepened。 She had to slow down to
get through the trees and rocks。 Quite unexpectedly she rode
pell…mell upon Dale and Bo and the panting Pedro。 Her horse
plunged to a halt； answering the shrill neighs of the other
horses。
Dale gazed in admiring amazement at Helen。
〃Say； did you meet the bear again？〃 he queried； blankly。
〃No。 Didn't you kill him？〃 panted Helen； slowly
sagging in her saddle。
〃He got away in the rocks。 Rough country down here。
Helen slid off her horse and fell with a little panting cry
of relief。 She saw that she was bloody； dirty； disheveled；
and wringing wet with perspiration。 Her riding habit was
torn into tatters。 Every muscle seemed to burn and sting；
and all her bones seemed broken。 But it was worth all this
to meet Dale's penetrating glance； to see Bo's utter；
incredulous astonishment。
〃Nell Rayner！〃 gasped Bo。
〃If my horse 'd been any good in the woods；〃 panted
Helen； 〃I'd not lost so much time riding down this
mountain。 And I'd caught you beat you。〃
〃Girl； did you RIDE down this last slope？〃 queried Dale。
〃I sure did；〃 replied Helen； smiling。
〃We walked every step of the way； and was lucky to get down
at that；〃 responded Dale； gravely。 〃No horse should have
been ridden down there。 Why； he must have slid down。〃
〃We slid yes。 But I stayed on him。〃
Bo's incredulity changed to wondering； speechless
admiration。 And Dale's rare smile changed his gravity。
〃I'm sorry。 It was rash of me。 I thought you'd go back。 。 。
。 But all's well that ends well。 。 。 。 Helen； did you wake
up to…day？〃
She dropped her eyes； not caring to meet the questioning
gaze upon her。
〃Maybe a little；〃 she replied； and she covered her face
with her hands。 Remembrance of his questions of his
assurance that she did not know the real meaning of life
of her stubborn antagonism made her somehow ashamed。 But
it was not for long。
〃The chase was great；〃 she said。 〃I did not know myself。 You
were right。〃
〃In how many ways did you find me right？〃 he asked。
〃I think all but one；〃 she replied； with a laugh and a
shudder。 〃I'm near starved NOW I was so furious at Bo
that I could have choked her。 I faced that horrible brute。 。
。 。 Oh； I know what it is to fear death！ 。 。 。 I was lost
twice on the ride absolutely lost。 That's all。〃
Bo found her tongue。 〃The last thing was for you to fall
wildly in love； wasn't it？〃
〃According to Dale； I must add that to my new experiences of
to…day before I can know real life；〃 replied Helen；
demurely。
The hunter turned away。 〃Let us go；〃 he said； soberly。
CHAPTER XIII
After more days of riding the grassy level of that
wonderfully gold and purple park； and dreamily listening by
day to the ever…low and ever…changing murmur of the
waterfall； and by night to the wild； lonely mourn of a
hunting wolf； and climbing to the dizzy heights where the
wind stung sweetly； Helen Rayner lost track of time and
forgot her peril。
Roy Beeman did not return。 If occasionally Dale mentioned
Roy and his quest； the girls had little to say beyond a
recurrent anxiety for the old uncle； and then they forgot
again。 Paradise Park； lived in a little while at that season
of the year； would have claimed any one； and ever afterward
haunted sleeping or waking dreams。
Bo gave up to the wild life； to the horses and rides； to the
many pets； and especially to the cougar； Tom。 The big cat
followed her everywhere； played with her； rolling and
pawing； kitten…like； and he would lay his massive head in
her lap to purr his content。 Bo had little fear of anything；
and here in the wilds she soon lost that。
Another of Dale's pets was a half…grown black bear named
Muss。 He was abnormally jealous of little Bud and he had a
well…developed hatred of Tom； otherwise he was a very
good…tempered bear； and enjoyed Dale's impartial regard。
Tom； however； chased Muss out of camp whenever Dale's back
was turned； and sometimes Muss stayed away； shifting for
himself。 With the advent of Bo； who spent a good deal of
time on the animals； Muss manifestly found the camp more
attractive。 Whereupon； Dale predicted trouble between Tom
and Muss。
Bo liked nothing better than a rough…and…tumble frolic with
the black bear。 Muss was not very big nor very heavy； and in
a wrestling bout with the strong and wiry girl he sometimes
came out second best。 It spoke well of him that he seemed to
be careful not to hurt Bo。 He never bit or scratched； though
h
