the man of the forest-第58章

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you　might　care　a　little　for　me　〃

〃Oh　　Tom！〃　faltered　Bo。

〃Listen。　　I　want　you　to　trust　me　because　I'm　the　one　who
knows　what's　best。　　I　wouldn't　lie　an'　I　wouldn't　say　so　if　I
didn't　know　shore。　　I　swear　Dale　will　back　me　up。　　But　he
can't　be　here　for　some　days。　　An'　thet　gang　has　got　to　be
bluffed。　　You　ought　to　see　this。　　I　reckon　you've　been　quick
in　savvyin'　Western　ways。　　I　couldn't　pay　you　no　higher
compliment；　Bo　Rayner。　。　。　。　　Now　will　you　tell　me？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；〃　replied　Bo；　with　the　blaze　leaping　to　her
eyes。

〃Oh；　Bo　　please　don't　　please　don't。　　Wait！〃　implored
Helen。

〃Bo　　it's　between　you　an'　me；〃　said　Carmichael。

〃Tom；　I'll　tell　you；〃　whispered　Bo。　　〃It　was　a　lowdown；
cowardly　trick。　。　。　。　　Roy　was　surrounded　　and　shot　from
behind　Beasley　　by　that　four…flush　Riggs！〃



CHAPTER　XIX

The　memory　of　a　woman　had　ruined　Milt　Dale's　peace；　had
confounded　his　philosophy　of　self…sufficient；　lonely
happiness　in　the　solitude　of　the　wilds；　had　forced　him　to
come　face　to　face　with　his　soul　and　the　fatal　significance
of　life。

When　he　realized　his　defeat；　that　things　were　not　as　they
seemed；　that　there　was　no　joy　for　him　in　the　coming　of
spring；　that　he　had　been　blind　in　his　free；　sensorial；
Indian　relation　to　existence；　he　fell　into　an　inexplicably
strange　state；　a　despondency；　a　gloom　as　deep　as　the　silence
of　his　home。　　Dale　reflected　that　the　stronger　an　animal；　the
keener　its　nerves；　the　higher　its　intelligence；　the　greater
must　be　its　suffering　under　restraint　or　injury。　　He　thought
of　himself　as　a　high　order　of　animal　whose　great　physical
need　was　action；　and　now　the　incentive　to　action　seemed
dead。　　He　grew　lax。　　He　did　not　want　to　move。　　He　performed　his
diminishing　duties　under　compulsion。

He　watched　for　spring　as　a　liberation；　but　not　that　he　could
leave　the　valley。　　He　hated　the　cold；　he　grew　weary　of　wind
and　snow；　he　imagined　the　warm　sun；　the　park　once　more　green
with　grass　and　bright　with　daisies；　the　return　of　birds　and
squirrels　and　deer　to　heir　old　haunts；　would　be　the　means
whereby　he　could　break　this　spell　upon　him。　　Then　he　might
gradually　return　to　past　contentment；　though　it　would　never
be　the　same。

But　spring；　coming　early　to　Paradise　Park；　brought　a　fever
to　Dale's　blood　　a　fire　of　unutterable　longing。　　It　was
good；　perhaps；　that　this　was　so；　because　he　seemed　driven　to
work；　climb；　tramp；　and　keep　ceaselessly　on　the　move　from
dawn　till　dark。　　Action　strengthened　his　lax　muscles　and　kept
him　from　those　motionless；　senseless　hours　of　brooding。　　He
at　least　need　not　be　ashamed　of　longing　for　that　which　could
never　be　his　　the　sweetness　of　a　woman　　a　home　full　of
light；　joy；　hope；　the　meaning　and　beauty　of　children。　　But
those　dark　moods　were　sinkings　into　a　pit　of　hell。

Dale　had　not　kept　track　of　days　and　weeks。　　He　did　not　know
when　the　snow　melted　off　three　slopes　of　Paradise　Park。　　All
he　knew　was　that　an　age　had　dragged　over　his　head　and　that
spring　had　come。　　During　his　restless　waking　hours；　and　even
when　he　was　asleep；　there　seemed　always　in　the　back　of　his
mind　a　growing　consciousness　that　soon　he　would　emerge　from
this　trial；　a　changed　man；　ready　to　sacrifice　his　chosen
lot；　to　give　up　his　lonely　life　of　selfish　indulgence　in
lazy　affinity　with　nature；　and　to　go　wherever　his　strong
hands　might　perform　some　real　service　to　people。
Nevertheless；　he　wanted　to　linger　in　this　mountain　fastness
until　his　ordeal　was　over　　until　he　could　meet　her；　and
the　world；　knowing　himself　more　of　a　man　than　ever　before。

One　bright　morning；　while　he　was　at　his　camp…fire；　the　tame
cougar　gave　a　low；　growling　warning。　　Dale　was　startled。　　Tom
did　not　act　like　that　because　of　a　prowling　grizzly　or　a
straying　stag。　　Presently　Dale　espied　a　horseman　riding
slowly　out　of　the　straggling　spruces。　　And　with　that　sight
Dale's　heart　gave　a　leap；　recalling　to　him　a　divination　of
his　future　relation　to　his　kind。　　Never　had　he　been　so　glad
to　see　a　man！

This　visitor　resembled　one　of　the　Beemans；　judging　from　the
way　he　sat　his　horse；　and　presently　Dale　recognized　him　to
be　John。

At　this　juncture　the　jaded　horse　was　spurred　into　a　trot；
soon　reaching　the　pines　and　the　camp。

〃Howdy；　there；　you　ole　b'ar…hunter！〃　called　John；　waving　his
hand。

For　all　his　hearty　greeting　his　appearance　checked　a　like
response　from　Dale。　　The　horse　was　mud　to　his　flanks　and　John
was　mud　to　his　knees；　wet；　bedraggled；　worn；　and　white。　　This
hue　of　his　face　meant　more　than　fatigue。

〃Howdy；　John？〃　replied　Dale。

They　shook　hands。　　John　wearily　swung　his　leg　over　the
pommel；　but　did　not　at　once　dismount。　　His　clear　gray　eyes
were　wonderingly　riveted　upon　the　hunter。

〃Milt　　what　'n　hell's　wrong？〃　he　queried。

〃Why？〃

〃Bust　me　if　you　ain't　changed　so　I　hardly　knowed　you。　　You've
been　sick　　all　alone　here！〃

〃Do　I　look　sick？〃

〃Wal；　I　should　smile。　　Thin　an'　pale　an'　down　in　the　mouth！
Milt；　what　ails　you？〃

〃I've　gone　to　seed。〃

〃You've　gone　off　your　head；　jest　as　Roy　said；　livin'　alone
here。　　You　overdid　it；　Milt。　　An'　you　look　sick。〃

〃John；　my　sickness　is　here；〃　replied　Dale；　soberly；　as　he
laid　a　hand　on　his　heart。

〃Lung　trouble！〃　ejaculated　John。　　〃With　thet　chest；　an'　up　in
this　air？　　。　。　。　　Get　out！〃

〃No　　not　lung　trouble；〃　said　Dale。

〃I　savvy。　　Had　a　hunch　from　Roy；　anyhow。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　hunch？〃

〃Easy　now；　Dale；　ole　man。　。　。　。　　Don't　you　reckon　I'm　ridin'
in　on　you　pretty　early？　　Look　at　thet　hoss！〃　John　slid　off
and　waved　a　hand　at　the　drooping　beast；　then　began　to
unsaddle　him。　　〃Wal；　he　done　great。　　We　bogged　some　comin'
over。　　An'　I　climbed　the　pass　at　night　on　the　frozen　snow。〃

〃You're　welcome　as　the　flowers　in　May。　　John；　what　month　is
it？〃

〃By　spades！　　are　you　as　bad　as　thet？　　。　。　。　　Let's　see。　　It's
the　twenty…third　of　March。〃

〃March！　　Well；　I'm　beat。　　I've　lost　my　reckonin'　　an'　a　lot
more；　maybe。〃

〃Thar！〃　declared　John；　slapping　the　mustang。　　〃You　can　jest
hang　up　here　till　my　next　trip。　　Milt；　how　're　your　hosses？〃

〃Wintered　fine。〃

〃Wal；　thet's　good。　　We'll　need　two　big；　strong　hosses　right
off。〃

〃What　for？〃　queried　Dale；　sharply。　　He　dropped　a　stick　of
wood　and　straightened　up　from　the　camp…fire。

〃You're　goin'　to　ride　down　to　Pine　with　me　　thet's　what
for。〃

Familiarly　then　came　back　to　Dale　the　quiet；　intent
suggestiveness　of　the　Beemans　in　moments　foreboding　trial。

At　this　certain　assurance　of　John's；　too　significant　to　be
doubted；　Dale's　though　of　Pine　gave　slow　birth　to　a　strange
sensation；　as　if　he　had　been　dead　and　was　vibrating　back　to
life。

〃Tell　what　you　got　to　tell！〃　he　broke　out。

Quick　as　a　flash　the　Mormon　replied：　〃Roy's　been　shot。　　But
he　won't　die。　　He　sent　for　you。　　Bad　deal's　afoot。　　Beasley
means　to　force　Helen　Rayner　out　an'　steal　her　ranch。〃

A　tremor　ran　all　through　Dale。　　It　seemed　another　painful　yet
thrilling　connection　between　his　past　and　this　vaguely
calling　future。　　His　emotions　had　been　broodings　dreams；
longings。　　This　thing　his　friend　said　had　the　sting　of　real
life。

〃Then　old　Al's　dead？〃　he　asked。

〃Long　ago　　I　reckon　around　the　middle　of　February。　　The
property　went　to　Helen。　　She's　been　doin'　fine。　　An'　many
folks　say　it's　a　pity　she'll　lose　it。〃

〃She　won't　lose　it；〃　declared　Dale。　　How　strange　his　voice
sounded　to　his　own　ears！　　It　was　hoarse　and　unreal；　as　if
from　disuse。

〃Wal；　we…all　have　our　idees。　　I　say　she　will。　　My　father　says
so。　　Carmichael　says　so。〃

〃Who's　he？〃

〃Reckon　you　remember　thet　cow…puncher　who　came　up　with　Roy
an'　Auchincloss　after　the　girls　　last　fall？〃

〃Yes。　　They　called　him　Las　　Las　Vegas。　　I　liked　his　looks。〃

〃Humph！　　You'll　like　him　a　heap　when　you　know　him。　　He's　kept
the　ranch　goin'　for　Miss　Helen　all　along。　　But　the　deal's
comin'　to　a　head。　　Beasley's　got　thick　with　thet　Riggs。　　You
remember　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Wal；　he's　been　hangin'　out　at　Pine　all　winter；　watchin'　for
some　chance　to　get　at　Miss　Helen　or　Bo。　　Everybody's　seen
thet。　　An'　jest　lately　he　chased　Bo　on　hossback　　gave　the
kid　a　nasty　fall。　　Roy　says　Riggs　was　after　Miss　Helen。　　But　I
think　one　or　t'other　of　the　girls　would　do　thet　varmint。
Wal；　thet　sorta　started　goin'