the man of the forest-第40章

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shaded　still　blacker；　the　park　blanched　and　the　border…line
opposite　began　to　stand　out　as　trees。

〃Look！　　Look！〃　cried　Bo；　very　low　and　fearfully；　as　she
pointed。

〃Not　so　loud；〃　whispered　Dale。

〃But　I　see　something！〃

〃Keep　quiet；〃　he　admonished。

Helen；　in　the　direction　Bo　pointed；　could　not　see　anything
but　moon…blanched　bare　ground；　rising　close　at　hand　to　a
little　ridge。

〃Lie　still；〃　whispered　Dale。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　crawl　around　to
get　a　look　from　another　angle。　　I'll　be　right　back。〃

He　moved　noiselessly　backward　and　disappeared。　　With　him
gone；　Helen　felt　a　palpitating　of　her　heart　and　a　prickling
of　her　skin。

〃Oh；　my！　　Nell！　　Look！〃　whispered　Bo；　in　fright。　　〃I　know　I　saw
something。〃

On　top　of　the　little　ridge　a　round　object　moved　slowly；
getting　farther　out　into　the　light。　　Helen　watched　with
suspended　breath。　　It　moved　out　to　be　silhouetted　against　the
sky　　apparently　a　huge；　round；　bristling　animal；　frosty　in
color。　　One　instant　it　seemed　huge　　the　next　small　　then
close　at　hand　　and　far　away。　　It　swerved　to　come　directly
toward　them。　　Suddenly　Helen　realized　that　the　beast　was　not
a　dozen　yards　distant。　　She　was　just　beginning　a　new
experience　　a　real　and　horrifying　terror　in　which　her
blood　curdled；　her　heart　gave　a　tremendous　leap　and　then
stood　still；　and　she　wanted　to　fly；　but　was　rooted　to　the
spot　　when　Dale　returned　to　her　side。

〃That's　a　pesky　porcupine；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Almost　crawled
over　you。　　He　sure　would　have　stuck　you　full　of　quills。〃

Whereupon　he　threw　a　stick　at　the　animal。　　It　bounced
straight　up　to　turn　round　with　startling　quickness；　and　it
gave　forth　a　rattling　sound；　then　it　crawled　out　of　sight。

〃Por　　cu　　pine！〃　whispered　Bo；　pantingly。　　〃It　might　
as　well　　have　been　　an　elephant！〃

Helen　uttered　a　long；　eloquent　sigh。　　She　would　not　have
cared　to　describe　her　emotions　at　sight　of　a　harmless
hedgehog。

〃Listen！〃　warned　Dale；　very　low。　　His　big　hand　closed　over
Helen's　gauntleted　one。　　〃There　you　have　　the　real　cry　of
the　wild。〃

Sharp　and　cold　on　the　night　air　split　the　cry　of　a　wolf；
distant；　yet　wonderfully　distinct。　　How　wild　and　mournful　and
hungry！　　How　marvelously　pure！　　Helen　shuddered　through　all
her　frame　with　the　thrill　of　its　music；　the　wild　and
unutterable　and　deep　emotions　it　aroused。　　Again　a　sound　of
this　forest　had　pierced　beyond　her　life；　back　into　the　dim
remote　past　from　which　she　had　come。

The　cry　was　not　repeated。　　The　coyotes　were　still。　　And
silence　fell；　absolutely　unbroken。

Dale　nudged　Helen；　and　then　reached　over　to　give　Bo　a　tap。
He　was　peering　keenly　ahead　and　his　strained　intensity　could
be　felt。　　Helen　looked　with　all　her　might　and　she　saw　the
shadowy　gray　forms　of　the　coyotes　skulk　away；　out　of　the
moonlight　into　the　gloom　of　the　woods；　where　they
disappeared。　　Not　only　Dale's　intensity；　but　the　very
silence；　the　wildness　of　the　moment　and　place；　seemed
fraught　with　wonderful　potency。　　Bo　must　have　felt　it；　too；
for　she　was　trembling　all　over；　and　holding　tightly　to
Helen；　and　breathing　quick　and　fast。

〃A…huh！〃　muttered　Dale；　under　his　breath。

Helen　caught　the　relief　and　certainty　in　his　exclamation；
and　she　divined；　then；　something　of　what　the　moment　must
have　been　to　a　hunter。

Then　her　roving；　alert　glance　was　arrested　by　a　looming　gray
shadow　coming　out　of　the　forest。　　It　moved；　but　surely　that
huge　thing　could　not　be　a　bear。　　It　passed　out　of　gloom　into
silver　moonlight。　　Helen's　heart　bounded。　　For　it　was　a　great
frosty…coated　bear　lumbering　along　toward　the　dead　horse。
Instinctively　Helen's　hand　sought　the　arm　of　the　hunter。　　It
felt　like　iron　under　a　rippling　surface。　　The　touch　eased
away　the　oppression　over　her　lungs；　the　tightness　of　her
throat。　　What　must　have　been　fear　left　her；　and　only　a
powerful　excitement　remained。　　A　sharp　expulsion　of　breath
from　Bo　and　a　violent　jerk　of　her　frame　were　signs　that　she
had　sighted　the　grizzly。

In　the　moonlight　he　looked　of　immense　size；　and　that　wild
park　with　the　gloomy　blackness　of　forest　furnished　a　fit
setting　for　him。　　Helen's　quick　mind；　so　taken　up　with
emotion；　still　had　a　thought　for　the　wonder　and　the　meaning
of　that　scene。　　She　wanted　the　bear　killed；　yet　that　seemed　a
pity。

He　had　a　wagging；　rolling；　slow　walk　which　took　several
moments　to　reach　his　quarry。　　When　at　length　he　reached　it　he
walked　around　with　sniffs　plainly　heard　and　then　a　cross
growl。　　Evidently　he　had　discovered　that　his　meal　had　been
messed　over。　　As　a　whole　the　big　bear　could　be　seen
distinctly；　but　only　in　outline　and　color。　　The　distance　was
perhaps　two　hundred　yards。　　Then　it　looked　as　if　he　had　begun
to　tug　at　the　carcass。　　Indeed；　he　was　dragging　it；　very
slowly；　but　surely。

〃Look　at　that！〃　whispered　Dale。　　〃If　he　ain't　strong！　　。　。　。
Reckon　I'll　have　to　stop　him。〃

The　grizzly；　however；　stopped　of　his　own　accord；　just
outside　of　the　shadow…line　of　the　forest。　　Then　he　hunched　in
a　big　frosty　heap　over　his　prey　and　began　to　tear　and　rend。

〃Jess　was　a　mighty　good　horse；〃　muttered　Dale；　grimly；　〃too
good　to　make　a　meal　for　a　hog　silvertip。〃

Then　the　hunter　silently　rose　to　a　kneeling　position；
swinging　the　rifle　in　front　of　him。　　He　glanced　up　into　the
low　branches　of　the　tree　overhead。

〃Girls；　there's　no　tellin'　what　a　grizzly　will　do。　　If　I
yell；　you　climb　up　in　this　tree；　an'　do　it　quick。〃

With　that　he　leveled　the　rifle；　resting　his　left　elbow　on
his　knee。　　The　front　end　of　the　rifle；　reaching　out　of　the
shade；　shone　silver　in　the　moonlight。　　Man　and　weapon　became
still　as　stone。　　Helen　held　her　breath。　　But　Dale　relaxed；
lowering　the　barrel。

〃Can't　see　the　sights　very　well；〃　he　whispered；　shaking　his
head。　　〃Remember；　now　　if　I　yell　you　climb！〃

Again　he　aimed　and　slowly　grew　rigid。　　Helen　could　not　take
her　fascinated　eyes　off　him。　　He　knelt；　bareheaded；　and　in
the　shadow　she　could　make　out　the　gleam　of　his　clear…cut
profile；　stern　and　cold。

A　streak　of　fire　and　a　heavy　report　startled　her。　　Then　she
heard　the　bullet　hit。　　Shifting　her　glance；　she　saw　the　bear
lurch　with　convulsive　action；　rearing　on　his　hind　legs。　　Loud
clicking　snaps　must　have　been　a　clashing　of　his　jaws　in
rage。　　But　there　was　no　other　sound。　　Then　again　Dale's　heavy
gun　boomed。　　Helen　heard　again　that　singular　spatting　thud　of
striking　lead。　　The　bear　went　down　with　a　flop　as　if　he　had
been　dealt　a　terrific　blow。　　But　just　as　quickly　he　was　up　on
all…fours　and　began　to　whirl　with　hoarse；　savage　bawls　of
agony　and　fury。　　His　action　quickly　carried　him　out　of　the
moonlight　into　the　shadow；　where　he　disappeared。　　There　the
bawls　gave　place　to　gnashing　snarls；　and　crashings　in　the
brush；　and　snapping　of　branches；　as　he　made　his　way　into　the
forest。

〃Sure　he's　mad；〃　said　Dale；　rising　to　his　feet。　　〃An'　I
reckon　hard　hit。　　But　I　won't　follow　him　to…night。〃

Both　the　girls　got　up；　and　Helen　found　she　was　shaky　on　her
feet　and　very　cold。

〃Oh…h；　wasn't　　it　　won…wonder…ful！〃　cried　Bo。

〃Are　you　scared？　　Your　teeth　are　chatterin'；〃　queried　Dale。

〃I'm　　cold。〃

〃Well；　it　sure　is　cold；　all　right；〃　he　responded。　　〃Now　the
fun's　over；　you'll　feel　it。　。　。　。　　Nell；　you're　froze；　too？〃

Helen　nodded。　　She　was；　indeed；　as　cold　as　she　had　ever　been
before。　　But　that　did　not　prevent　a　strange　warmness　along
her　veins　and　a　quickened　pulse；　the　cause　of　which　she　did
not　conjecture。

〃Let's　rustle；〃　said　Dale；　and　led　the　way　out　of　the　wood
and　skirted　its　edge　around　to　the　slope。　　There　they　climbed
to　the　flat；　and　went　through　the　straggling　line　of　trees
to　where　the　horses　were　tethered。

Up　here　the　wind　began　to　blow；　not　hard　through　the　forest；
but　still　strong　and　steady　out　in　the　open；　and　bitterly
cold。　　Dale　helped　Bo　to　mount；　and　then　Helen。

〃I'm　　numb；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　fall　off　　sure。〃

〃No。　　You'll　be　warm　in　a　jiffy；〃　he　replied；　〃because　we'll
ride　some　goin'　back。　　Let　Ranger　pick　the　way　an'　you　hang
on。〃

With　Ranger's　first　jump　Helen's　blood　began　to　run。　　Out　he
shot；　his　lean；　dark　head　beside　Dale's　horse。　　The　wild　park
lay　clear　and　bright　in　the　moonlight；　with　strange；　silvery
radiance　on　the　grass。　　The　patches　of　timber；　like　s