the man of the forest-第4章
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My man Tom used to fetch home gobblers like that。 。 。 。 An'
mebbe he'll come home again sometime。〃
Her husband； Tom Cass； had gone into the forest years before
and had never returned。 But the old woman always looked for
him and never gave up hope。
〃Men have been lost in the forest an' yet come back；〃
replied Dale； as he had said to her many a time。
〃Come right in。 You air hungry； I know。 Now； son； when last
did you eat a fresh egg or a flapjack？〃
〃You should remember；〃 he answered； laughing； as he followed
her into a small； clean kitchen。
〃Laws…a'…me！ An' thet's months ago；〃 she replied； shaking
her gray head。 〃Milt； you should give up that wild life
an' marry an' have a home。〃
〃You always tell me that。〃
〃Yes； an' I'll see you do it yet。 。 。 。 Now you set there；
an' pretty soon I'll give you thet to eat which 'll make
your mouth water。〃
〃What's the news； Auntie？〃 he asked。
〃Nary news in this dead place。 Why； nobody's been to
Snowdrop in two weeks！ 。 。 。 Sary Jones died； poor old soul
she's better off an' one of my cows run away。 Milt；
she's wild when she gits loose in the woods。 An' you'll have
to track her； 'cause nobody else can。 An' John Dakker's
heifer was killed by a lion； an' Lem Harden's fast hoss
you know his favorite was stole by hoss…thieves。 Lem is
jest crazy。 An' that reminds me； Milt； where's your big
ranger； thet you'd never sell or lend？〃
〃My horses are up in the woods； Auntie； safe； I reckon； from
horse…thieves。〃
〃Well； that's a blessin'。 We've had some stock stole this
summer； Milt； an' no mistake。〃
Thus； while preparing a meal for Dale； the old woman went on
recounting all that had happened in the little village since
his last visit。 Dale enjoyed her gossip and quaint
philosophy； and it was exceedingly good to sit at her table。
In his opinion； nowhere else could there have been such
butter and cream； such ham and eggs。 Besides； she always had
apple pie； it seemed； at any time he happened in； and apple
pie was one of Dale's few regrets while up in the lonely
forest。
〃How's old Al Auchincloss？〃 presently inquired Dale。
〃Poorly poorly；〃 sighed Mrs。 Cass。 〃But he tramps an'
rides around same as ever。 Al's not long for this world。 。 。
。 An'； Milt； that reminds me there's the biggest news you
ever heard。〃
〃You don't say so！〃 exclaimed Dale； to encourage the excited
old woman。
〃Al has sent back to Saint Joe for his niece； Helen Rayner。
She's to inherit all his property。 We've heard much of her
a purty lass； they say。 。 。 。 Now； Milt Dale； here's your
chance。 Stay out of the woods an' go to work。 。 。 。 You can
marry that girl！〃
〃No chance for me； Auntie；〃 replied Dale； smiling。
The old woman snorted。 〃Much you know！ Any girl would have
you； Milt Dale； if you'd only throw a kerchief。〃
〃Me！ 。 。 。 An' why； Auntie？〃 he queried； half amused； half
thoughtful。 When he got back to civilization he always had
to adjust his thoughts to the ideas of people。
〃Why？ I declare； Milt； you live so in the woods you're like
a boy of ten an' then sometimes as old as the hills。 。 。
。There's no young man to compare with you； hereabouts。 An'
this girl she'll have all the spunk of the
Auchinclosses。〃
〃Then maybe she'd not be such a catch； after all；〃 replied
Dale。
〃Wal； you've no cause to love them； that's sure。 But； Milt；
the Auchincloss women are always good wives。〃
〃Dear Auntie； you're dreamin'；〃 said Dale； soberly。 〃I want
no wife。 I'm happy in the woods。〃
〃Air you goin' to live like an Injun all your days； Milt
Dale？〃 she queried； sharply。
〃I hope so。〃
〃You ought to be ashamed。 But some lass will change you；
boy； an' mebbe it'll be this Helen Rayner。 I hope an' pray
so to thet。〃
〃Auntie； supposin' she did change me。 She'd never change old
Al。 He hates me； you know。〃
〃Wal； I ain't so sure； Milt。 I met Al the other day。 He
inquired for you； an' said you was wild； but he reckoned men
like you was good for pioneer settlements。 Lord knows the
good turns you've done this village！ Milt； old Al doesn't
approve of your wild life； but he never had no hard feelin's
till thet tame lion of yours killed so many of his sheep。〃
〃Auntie； I don't believe Tom ever killed Al's sheep；〃
declared Dale； positively。
〃Wal； Al thinks so； an' many other people；〃 replied Mrs。
Cass； shaking her gray head doubtfully。 〃You never swore he
didn't。 An' there was them two sheep…herders who did swear
they seen him。〃
〃They only saw a cougar。 An' they were so scared they ran。〃
〃Who wouldn't？ Thet big beast is enough to scare any one。
For land's sakes； don't ever fetch him down here again！ I'll
never forgit the time you did。 All the folks an' children
an' hosses in Pine broke an' run thet day。〃
〃Yes； but Tom wasn't to blame。 Auntie； he's the tamest of my
pets。 Didn't he try to put his head on your lap an' lick
your hand？〃
〃Wal； Milt； I ain't gainsayin' your cougar pet didn't act
better 'n a lot of people I know。 Fer he did。 But the looks
of him an' what's been said was enough for me。〃
〃An' what's all that； Auntie？〃
〃They say he's wild when out of your sight。 An' thet he'd
trail an' kill anythin' you put him after。〃
〃I trained him to be just that way。〃
〃Wal； leave Tom to home up in the woods…when you visit us。〃
Dale finished his hearty meal； and listened awhile longer to
the old woman's talk； then； taking his rifle and the other
turkey； he bade her good…by。 She followed him out。
〃Now； Milt； you'll come soon again； won't you jest to see
Al's niece who'll be here in a week？〃
〃I reckon I'll drop in some day。 。 。 。 Auntie； have you seen
my friends； the Mormon boys？〃
〃No； I 'ain't seen them an' don't want to；〃 she retorted。
〃Milt Dale； if any one ever corrals you it'll be Mormons。〃
〃Don't worry； Auntie。 I like those boys。 They often see me
up in the woods an' ask me to help them track a hoss or help
kill some fresh meat。〃
〃They're workin' for Beasley now。〃
〃Is that so？〃 rejoined Dale； with a sudden start。 〃An' what
doin'？〃
〃Beasley is gettin' so rich he's buildin' a fence； an'
didn't have enough help； so I hear。〃
〃Beasley gettin' rich！〃 repeated Dale； thoughtfully。 〃More
sheep an' horses an' cattle than ever； I reckon？〃
〃Laws…a'…me！ Why； Milt； Beasley 'ain't any idea what he
owns。 Yes； he's the biggest man in these parts； since poor
old Al's took to failin'。 I reckon Al's health ain't none
improved by Beasley's success。 They've bad some bitter
quarrels lately so I hear。 Al ain't what he was。〃
Dale bade good…by again to his old friend and strode away；
thoughtful and serious。 Beasley would not only be difficult
to circumvent； but he would be dangerous to oppose。 There
did not appear much doubt of his driving his way rough…shod
to the dominance of affairs there in Pine。 Dale； passing
down the road； began to meet acquaintances who had hearty
welcome for his presence and interest in his doings； so that
his pondering was interrupted for the time being。 He carried
the turkey to another old friend； and when he left her house
he went on to the village store。 This was a large log cabin；
roughly covered with clapboards； with a wide plank platform
in front and a hitching…rail in the road。 Several horses
were standing there； and a group of lazy； shirt…sleeved
loungers。
〃I'll be doggoned if it ain't Milt Dale！〃 exclaimed one。
〃Howdy； Milt； old buckskin！ Right down glad to see you；〃
greeted another。
〃Hello； Dale！ You air shore good for sore eyes；〃 drawled
still another。
After a long period of absence Dale always experienced a
singular warmth of feeling when he met these acquaintances。
It faded quickly when he got back to the intimacy of his
woodland； and that was because the people of Pine； with few
exceptions though they liked him and greatly admired his
outdoor wisdom regarded him as a sort of nonentity。
Because he loved the wild and preferred it to village and
range life； they had classed him as not one of them。 Some
believed him lazy； others believed him shiftless； others
thought him an Indian in mind and habits； and there were
many who called him slo
