the man of the forest-第39章

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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
he　sometimes　gave　her　sounding　slaps　with　his　paws。
Whereupon；　Bo　would　clench　her　gauntleted　fists　and　sail
into　him　in　earnest。

One　afternoon　before　the　early　supper　they　always　had；　Dale
and　Helen　were　watching　Bo　teasing　the　bear。　　She　was　in　her
most　vixenish　mood；　full　of　life　and　fight。　　Tom　lay　his　long
length　on　the　grass；　watching　with　narrow；　gleaming　eyes。

When　Bo　and　Muss　locked　in　an　embrace　and　went　down　to　roll
over　and　over；　Dale　called　Helen's　attention　to　the　cougar。

〃Tom's　jealous。　　It's　strange　how　animals　are　like　people。
Pretty　soon　I'll　have　to　corral　Muss；　or　there'll　be　a
fight。〃

Helen　could　not　see　anything　wrong　with　Tom　except　that　he
did　not　look　playful。

During　supper…time　both　bear　and　cougar　disappeared；　though
this　was　not　remarked　until　afterward。　　Dale　whistled　and
called；　but　the　rival　pets　did　not　return。　　Next　morning　Tom
was　there；　curled　up　snugly　at　the　foot　of　Bo's　bed；　and
when　she　arose　he　followed　her　around　as　usual。　　But　Muss　did
not　return。

The　circumstance　made　Dale　anxious。　　He　left　camp；　taking　Tom
with　him；　and　upon　returning　stated　that　he　had　followed
Muss's　track　as　far　as　possible；　and　then　had　tried　to　put
Tom　on　the　trail；　but　the　cougar　would　not　or　could　not
follow　it。　　Dale　said　Tom　never　liked　a　bear　trail；　anyway；
cougars　and　bears　being　common　enemies。　　So；　whether　by
accident　or　design；　Bo　lost　one　of　her　playmates。

The　hunter　searched　some　of　the　slopes　next　day　and　even
went　up　on　one　of　the　mountains。　　He　did　not　discover　any
sign　of　Muss；　but　he　said　he　had　found　something　else。

〃Bo　you　girls　want　some　more　real　excitement？〃　he　asked。

Helen　smiled　her　acquiescence　and　Bo　replied　with　one　of　her
forceful　speeches。

〃Don't　mind　bein'　good　an'　scared？〃　he　went　on。

〃You　can't　scare　me；〃　bantered　Bo。　　But　Helen　looked
doubtful。

〃Up　in　one　of　the　parks　I　ran　across　one　of　my　horses　　a
lame　bay　you　haven't　seen。　　Well；　he　had　been　killed　by　that
old　silvertip。　　The　one　we　chased。　　Hadn't　been　dead　over　an
hour。　　Blood　was　still　runnin'　an'　only　a　little　meat　eaten。
That　bear　heard　me　or　saw　me　an'　made　off　into　the　woods。
But　he'll　come　back　to…night。　　I'm　goin'　up　there；　lay　for
him；　an'　kill　him　this　time。　　Reckon　you'd　better　go；　because
I　don't　want　to　leave　you　here　alone　at　night。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　take　Tom？〃　asked　Bo。

〃No。　　The　bear　might　get　his　scent。　　An'；　besides；　Tom　ain't
reliable　on　bears。　　I'll　leave　Pedro　home；　too。〃

When　they　had　hurried　supper；　and　Dale　had　gotten　in　the
horses；　the　sun　had　set　and　the　valley　was　shadowing　low
down；　while　the　ramparts　were　still　golden。　　The　long　zigzag
trail　Dale　followed　up　the　slope　took　nearly　an　hour　to
climb；　so　that　when　that　was　surmounted　and　he　led　out　of
the　woods　twilight　had　fallen。　　A　rolling　park　extended　as
far　as　Helen　could　see；　bordered　by　forest　that　in　places
sent　out　straggling　stretches　of　trees。　　Here　and　there；　like
islands；　were　isolated　patches　of　timber。

At　ten　thousand　feet　elevation　the　twilight　of　this　clear
and　cold　night　was　a　rich　and　rare　atmospheric　effect。　　It
looked　as　if　it　was　seen　through　perfectly　clear　smoked
glass。　　Objects　were　singularly　visible；　even　at　long　range；
and　seemed　magnified。　　In　the　west；　where　the　afterglow　of
sunset　lingered　over　the　dark；　ragged；　spruce…speared
horizon…line；　there　was　such　a　transparent　golden　line
melting　into　vivid　star…fired　blue　that　Helen　could　only
gaze　and　gaze　in　wondering　admiration。

Dale　spurred　his　horse　into　a　lope　and　the　spirited　mounts
of　the　girls　kept　up　with　him。　　The　ground　was　rough；　with
tufts　of　grass　growing　close　together；　yet　the　horses　did
not　stumble。　　Their　action　and　snorting　betrayed　excitement。
Dale　led　around　several　clumps　of　timber；　up　a　long　grassy
swale；　and　then　straight　westward　across　an　open　flat　toward
where　the　dark…fringed　forest…line　raised　itself　wild　and
clear　against　the　cold　sky。　　The　horses　went　swiftly；　and　the
wind　cut　like　a　blade　of　ice。　　Helen　could　barely　get　her
breath　and　she　panted　as　if　she　had　just　climbed　a　laborsome
hill。　　The　stars　began　to　blink　out　of　the　blue；　and　the　gold
paled　somewhat；　and　yet　twilight　lingered。　　It　seemed　long
across　that　flat；　but　really　was　short。　　Coming　to　a　thin
line　of　trees　that　led　down　over　a　slope　to　a　deeper　but
still　isolated　patch　of　woods；　Dale　dismounted　and　tied　his
horse。　　When　the　girls　got　off　he　haltered　their　horses　also。

〃Stick　close　to　me　an'　put　your　feet　down　easy；〃　he
whispered。　　How　tall　and　dark　he　loomed　in　the　fading　light！
Helen　thrilled；　as　she　had　often　of　late；　at　the　strange；
potential　force　of　the　man。　　Stepping　softly；　without　the
least　sound；　Dale　entered　this　straggly　bit　of　woods；　which
appeared　to　have　narrow　byways　and　nooks。　　Then　presently　he
came　to　the　top　of　a　well…wooded　slope；　dark　as　pitch；
apparently。　　But　as　Helen　followed　she　perceived　the　trees；
and　they　were　thin　dwarf　spruce；　partly　dead。　　The　slope　was
soft　and　springy；　easy　to　step　upon　without　noise。　　Dale　went
so　cautiously　that　Helen　could　not　hear　him；　and　sometimes
in　the　gloom　she　could　not　see　him。　　Then　the　chill　thrills
ran　over　her。　　Bo　kept　holding　on　to　Helen；　which　fact
hampered　Helen　as　well　as　worked　somewhat　to　disprove　Bo's
boast。　　At　last　level　ground　was　reached。　　Helen　made　out　a
light…gray　background　crossed　by　black　bars。　　Another　glance
showed　this　to　be　the　dark　tree…trunks　against　the　open
park。

Dale　halted；　and　with　a　touch　brought　Helen　to　a　straining
pause。　　He　was　listening。　　It　seemed　wonderful　to　watch　him
bend　his　head　and　stand　as　silent　and　motionless　as　one　of
the　dark　trees。

〃He's　not　there　yet；〃　Dale　whispered；　and　he　stepped　forward
very　slowly。　　Helen　and　Bo　began　to　come　up　against　thin　dead
branches　that　were　invisible　and　then　cracked。　　Then　Dale
knelt　down；　seemed　to　melt　into　the　ground。

〃You'll　have　to　crawl；〃　he　whispered。

How　strange　and　thrilling　that　was　for　Helen；　and　hard　work！
The　ground　bore　twigs　and　dead　branches；　which　had　to　be
carefully　crawled　over；　and　lying　flat；　as　was　necessary；　it
took　prodigious　effort　to　drag　her　body　inch　by　inch。　　Like　a
huge　snake；　Dale　wormed　his　way　along。

Gradually　the　wood　lightened。　　They　were　nearing　the　edge　of
the　park。　　Helen　now　saw　a　strip　of　open　with　a　high；　black
wall　of　spruce　beyond。　　The　afterglow　flashed　or　changed；
like　a　dimming　northern　light；　and　then　failed。　　Dale　crawled
on　farther　to　halt　at　length　between　two　tree…trunks　at　the
edge　of　the　wood。

〃Come　up　beside　me；〃　he　whispered。

Helen　crawled　on；　and　presently　Bo　was　beside　her　panting；
with　pale　face　and　great；　staring　eyes；　plain　to　be　seen　in
the　wan　light。

〃Moon's　comin'　up。　　We're　just　in　time。　　The　old　grizzly's　not
there　yet；　but　I　see　coyotes。　　Look。〃

Dale　pointed　across　the　open　neck　of　park　to　a　dim　blurred
patch　standing　apart　some　little　distance　from　the　black
wall。

〃That's　the　dead　horse；〃　whispered　Dale。　　〃An'　if　you　watch
close　you　can　see　the　coyotes。　　They're　gray　an'　they　move。　。
。　。　　Can't　you　hear　them？〃

Helen's　excited　ears；　so　full　of　throbs　and　imaginings；
presently　registered　low　snaps　and　snarls。　　Bo　gave　her　arm　a
squeeze。

〃I　hear　them。　　They're　fighting。　　Oh；　gee！〃　she　panted；　and
drew　a　long；　full　breath　of　unutterable　excitement。

〃Keep　quiet　now　an'　watch　an'　listen；〃　said　the　hunter。

Slowly　the　black；　ragged　forest…line　seemed　to　grow　blacker
and　lift；　slowly　the　gray　neck　of　park　lightened　under　some
invisible　influence；　slowly　the　stars　paled　and　the　sky
filled　over。　　Somewhere　the　moon　was　rising。　　And　slowly　that
vague　blurred　patch　grew　a　little　clearer。

Through　the　tips　of　the　spruce；　now　seen　to　be　rather　close
at　hand；　shone　a　slender；　silver　crescent　moon；　darkening；
hiding；　shining　again；　climbing　until　its　exquisite
sickle…point　topped　the　trees；　and　then；　magically；　it
cleared　them；　radiant　and　cold。　　While　the　eastern　black　wall
shaded　still　blacker；　the　park　blanched　and　the　border…line
opposite　began　to　stand　out