the man of the forest-第44章
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was the last to leave the hunter。 Pedro came reluctantly。
It was a merry； singing train which climbed that brown
odorous trail； under the dark spruces。 Helen assuredly was
happy； yet a pang abided in her breast。
She remembered that half…way up the slope there was a turn
in the trail where it came out upon an open bluff。 The time
seemed long； but at last she got there。 And she checked
Ranger so as to have a moment's gaze down into the park。
It yawned there； a dark…green and bright…gold gulf； asleep
under a westering sun； exquisite； wild； lonesome。 Then she
saw Dale standing in the open space between the pines and
the spruces。 He waved to her。 And she returned the salute。
Roy caught up with her then and halted his horse。 He waved
his sombrero to Dale and let out a piercing yell that awoke
the sleeping echoes； splitting strangely from cliff to cliff
。
〃Shore Milt never knowed what it was to be lonesome；〃 said
Roy； as if thinking aloud。 〃But he'll know now。〃
Ranger stepped out of his own accord and； turning off the
ledge； entered the spruce forest。 Helen lost sight of
Paradise Park。 For hours then she rode along a shady；
fragrant trail； seeing the beauty of color and wildness；
hearing the murmur and rush and roar of water； but all the
while her mind revolved the sweet and momentous realization
which had thrilled her that the hunter； this strange man
of the forest； so deeply versed in nature and so unfamiliar
with emotion； aloof and simple and strong like the elements
which had developed him； had fallen in love with her and did
not know it。
CHAPTER XV
Dale stood with face and arm upraised； and he watched Helen
ride off the ledge to disappear in the forest。 That vast
spruce slope seemed to have swallowed her。 She was gone！
Slowly Dale lowered his arm with gesture expressive of a
strange finality； an eloquent despair； of which he was
unconscious。
He turned to the park； to his camp； and the many duties of a
hunter。 The park did not seem the same； nor his home； nor
his work。
〃I reckon this feelin's natural；〃 he soliloquized；
resignedly； 〃but it's sure queer for me。 That's what comes
of makin' friends。 Nell an' Bo； now； they made a difference；
an' a difference I never knew before。〃
He calculated that this difference had been simply one of
responsibility； and then the charm and liveliness of the
companionship of girls； and finally friendship。 These would
pass now that the causes were removed。
Before he had worked an hour around camp he realized a
change had come； but it was not the one anticipated。 Always
before he had put his mind on his tasks； whatever they might
be； now he worked while his thoughts were strangely
involved。
The little bear cub whined at his heels； the tame deer
seemed to regard him with deep； questioning eyes； the big
cougar padded softly here and there as if searching for
something。
〃You all miss them now I reckon；〃 said Dale。 〃Well；
they're gone an' you'll have to get along with me。〃
Some vague approach to irritation with his pets surprised
him。 Presently he grew both irritated and surprised with
himself a state of mind totally unfamiliar。 Several
times； as old habit brought momentary abstraction； he found
himself suddenly looking around for Helen and Bo。 And each
time the shock grew stronger。 They were gone； but their
presence lingered。 After his camp chores were completed he
went over to pull down the lean…to which the girls had
utilized as a tent。 The spruce boughs had dried out brown
and sear； the wind had blown the roof awry； the sides were
leaning in。 As there was now no further use for this little
habitation； he might better pull it down。 Dale did not
acknowledge that his gaze had involuntarily wandered toward
it many times。 Therefore he strode over with the intention
of destroying it。
For the first time since Roy and he had built the lean…to he
stepped inside。 Nothing was more certain than the fact that
he experienced a strange sensation； perfectly
incomprehensible to him。 The blankets lay there on the
spruce boughs； disarranged and thrown back by hurried hands；
yet still holding something of round folds where the slender
forms had nestled。 A black scarf often worn by Bo lay
covering the pillow of pine…needles； a red ribbon that Helen
had worn on her hair hung from a twig。 These articles were
all that had been forgotten。 Dale gazed at them attentively；
then at the blankets； and all around the fragrant little
shelter； and he stepped outside with an uncomfortable
knowledge that he could not destroy the place where Helen
and Bo had spent so many hours。
Whereupon； in studious mood； Dale took up his rifle and
strode out to hunt。 His winter supply of venison had not yet
been laid in。 Action suited his mood； he climbed far and
passed by many a watching buck to slay which seemed murder；
at last he jumped one that was wild and bounded away。 This
he shot； and set himself a Herculean task in packing the
whole carcass back to camp。 Burdened thus； be staggered
under the trees； sweating freely； many times laboring for
breath； aching with toil； until at last he had reached camp。
There he slid the deer carcass off his shoulders； and；
standing over it； he gazed down while his breast labored。 It
was one of the finest young bucks he had ever seen。 But
neither in stalking it； nor making a wonderful shot； nor in
packing home a weight that would have burdened two men； nor
in gazing down at his beautiful quarry； did Dale experience
any of the old joy of the hunter。
〃I'm a little off my feed；〃 he mused； as he wiped sweat from
his heated face。 〃Maybe a little dotty； as I called Al。 But
that'll pass。〃
Whatever his state； it did not pass。 As of old； after a long
day's hunt； he reclined beside the camp…fire and watched the
golden sunset glows change on the ramparts； as of old he
laid a hand on the soft； furry head of the pet cougar； as of
old he watched the gold change to red and then to dark； and
twilight fall like a blanket； as of old he listened to the
dreamy； lulling murmur of the water fall。 The old familiar
beauty； wildness； silence； and loneliness were there； but
the old content seemed strangely gone。
Soberly he confessed then that he missed the happy company
of the girls。 He did not distinguish Helen from Bo in his
slow introspection。 When he sought his bed he did not at
once fall to sleep。 Always； after a few moments of
wakefulness； while the silence settled down or the wind
moaned through the pines； he had fallen asleep。 This night
he found different。 Though he was tired； sleep would not
soon come。 The wilderness； the mountains； the park； the camp
all seemed to have lost something。 Even the darkness
seemed empty。 And when at length Dale fell asleep it was to
be troubled by restless dreams。
Up with the keen…edged； steely…bright dawn； he went at the
his tasks with the springy stride of the deer…stalker。
At the end of that strenuous day； which was singularly full
of the old excitement and action and danger； and of new
observations； he was bound to confess that no longer did the
chase suffice for him。
Many times on the heights that day； with the wind keen in
his face； and the vast green billows of spruce below him； he
had found that be was gazing without seeing； halting without
object； dreaming as he had never dreamed before。
Once； when a magnificent elk came out upon a rocky ridge
and； whistling a challenge to invisible rivals； stood there
a target to stir any hunter's pulse； Dale did not even raise
his rifle。 Into his ear just then rang Helen's voice： 〃Milt
Dale； you are no Indian。 Giving yourself to a hunter's
wildlife is selfish。 It is wrong。 You love this lonely life；
but it is not work。 Work that does not help others is not a
real man's work。〃
From that moment conscience tormented him。 It was not what
he loved； but what he ought to do； that counted in the sum
of good achieved in the world。 Old Al Auchincloss had been
right。 Dale was wasting strength and intelligence that
should go to do his share in the development of the West。
Now that he had reached maturity； if throug
