the man of the forest-第7章
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suppressed look of knowledge under restraint。
〃Listen to what I come to tell you； then you'll talk；〃 went
on Dale。 And hurriedly he told of Beasley's plot to abduct
Al Auchincloss's niece and claim the dying man's property。
When Dale ended； rather breathlessly； the Mormon boys sat
without any show of surprise or feeling。 John； the eldest；
took up a stick and slowly poked the red embers of the fire；
making the white sparks fly。
〃Now； Milt； why'd you tell us thet？〃 he asked； guardedly。
〃You're the only friends I've got；〃 replied Dale。 〃It didn't
seem safe for me to talk down in the village。 I thought of
you boys right off。 I ain't goin' to let Snake Anson get
that girl。 An' I need help； so I come to you。〃
〃Beasley's strong around Pine； an' old Al's weakenin'。
Beasley will git the property； girl or no girl；〃 said John。
〃Things don't always turn out as they look。 But no matter
about that。 The girl deal is what riled me。 。 。 。 She's to
arrive at Magdalena on the sixteenth； an' take stage for
Snowdrop。 。 。 。 Now what to do？ If she travels on that stage
I'll be on it； you bet。 But she oughtn't to be in it at all。
。 。 。 Boys； somehow I'm goin' to save her。 Will you help me？
I reckon I've been in some tight corners for you。 Sure； this
's different。 But are you my friends？ You know now what
Beasley is。 An' you're all lost at the hands of Snake
Anson's gang。 You've got fast hosses； eyes for trackin'； an'
you can handle a rifle。 You're the kind of fellows I'd want
in a tight pinch with a bad gang。 Will you stand by me or
see me go alone？〃
Then John Beeman； silently； and with pale face； gave Dale's
hand a powerful grip； and one by one the other brothers rose
to do likewise。 Their eyes flashed with hard glint and a
strange bitterness hovered around their thin lips。
〃Milt； mebbe we know what Beasley is better 'n you；〃 said
John； at length。 〃He ruined my father。 He's cheated other
Mormons。 We boys have proved to ourselves thet he gets the
sheep Anson's gang steals。 。 。 。 An' drives the herds to
Phenix！ Our people won't let us accuse Beasley。 So we've
suffered in silence。 My father always said； let some one
else say the first word against Beasley； an' you've come to
us！〃
Roy Beeman put a hand on Dale's shoulder。 He； perhaps； was
the keenest of the brothers and the one to whom adventure
and peril called most。 He had been oftenest with Dale； on
many a long trail； and he was the hardest rider and the most
relentless tracker in all that range country。
〃An' we're goin' with you；〃 he said； in a strong and rolling
voice。
They resumed their seats before the fire。 John threw on more
wood； and with a crackling and sparkling the blaze curled
up； fanned by the wind。 As twilight deepened into night the
moan in the pines increased to a roar。 A pack of coyotes
commenced to pierce the air in staccato cries。
The five young men conversed long and earnestly；
considering； planning； rejecting ideas advanced by each。
Dale and Roy Beeman suggested most of what became acceptable
to all。 Hunters of their type resembled explorers in slow
and deliberate attention to details。 What they had to deal
with here was a situation of unlimited possibilities； the
horses and outfit needed； a long detour to reach Magdalena
unobserved； the rescue of a strange girl who would no doubt
be self…willed and determined to ride on the stage the
rescue forcible； if necessary； the fight and the inevitable
pursuit； the flight into the forest； and the safe delivery
of the girl to Auchincloss。
〃Then； Milt； will we go after Beasley？〃 queried Roy Beeman；
significantly。
Dale was silent and thoughtful。
〃Sufficient unto the day！〃 said John。 〃An； fellars； let's go
to bed。〃
They rolled out their tarpaulins； Dale sharing Roy's
blankets； and soon were asleep； while the red embers slowly
faded； and the great roar of wind died down； and the forest
stillness set in。
CHAPTER IV
Helen Rayner had been on the westbound overland train fully
twenty…four hours before she made an alarming discovery。
Accompanied by her sister Bo； a precocious girl of sixteen；
Helen had left St。 Joseph with a heart saddened by farewells
to loved ones at home； yet full of thrilling and vivid
anticipations of the strange life in the Far West。 All her
people had the pioneer spirit； love of change； action；
adventure； was in her blood。 Then duty to a widowed mother
with a large and growing family had called to Helen to
accept this rich uncle's offer。 She had taught school and
also her little brothers and sisters； she had helped along
in other ways。 And now； though the tearing up of the roots
of old loved ties was hard； this opportunity was
irresistible in its call。 The prayer of her dreams had been
answered。 To bring good fortune to her family； to take care
of this beautiful； wild little sister； to leave the yellow；
sordid； humdrum towns for the great； rolling； boundless
open； to live on a wonderful ranch that was some day to be
her own； to have fulfilled a deep； instinctive； and
undeveloped love of horses； cattle； sheep； of desert and
mountain； of trees and brooks and wild flowers all this
was the sum of her most passionate longings； now in some
marvelous； fairylike way to come true。
A check to her happy anticipations； a blank； sickening dash
of cold water upon her warm and intimate dreams； had been
the discovery that Harve Riggs was on the train。 His
presence could mean only one thing that he had followed
her。 Riggs had been the worst of many sore trials back there
in St。 Joseph。 He had possessed some claim or influence upon
her mother； who favored his offer of marriage to Helen； he
was neither attractive； nor good； nor industrious； nor
anything that interested her； he was the boastful； strutting
adventurer； not genuinely Western； and he affected long hair
and guns and notoriety。 Helen had suspected the veracity of
the many fights he claimed had been his； and also she
suspected that he was not really big enough to be bad as
Western men were bad。 But on the train； in the station at La
Junta； one glimpse of him； manifestly spying upon her while
trying to keep out of her sight； warned Helen that she now
might have a problem on her hands。
The recognition sobered her。 All was not to be a road of
roses to this new home in the West。 Riggs would follow her；
if he could not accompany her； and to gain his own ends he
would stoop to anything。 Helen felt the startling
realization of being cast upon her own resources； and then a
numbing discouragement and loneliness and helplessness。 But
these feelings did not long persist in the quick pride and
flash of her temper。 Opportunity knocked at her door and she
meant to be at home to it。 She would not have been Al
Auchincloss's niece if she had faltered。 And； when temper
was succeeded by genuine anger； she could have laughed to
scorn this Harve Riggs and his schemes； whatever they were。
Once and for all she dismissed fear of him。 When she left
St。 Joseph she had faced the West with a beating heart and a
high resolve to be worthy of that West。 Homes had to be made
out there in that far country； so Uncle Al had written； and
women were needed to make homes。 She meant to be one of
these women and to make of her sister another。 And with the
thought that she would know definitely what to say to Riggs
when he approached her； sooner or later； Helen dismissed him
from mind。
While the train was in motion； enabling Helen to watch the
ever…changing scenery； and resting her from the strenuous
task of keeping Bo well in hand at stations； she lapsed
again into dreamy gaze at the pine forests and the red；
rocky gullies and the dim； bold mountains。 She saw the sun
set over distant ranges of New Mexico a golden blaze of
glory； as new to her as the strange fancies born in her；
thrilling and fleeting by。 Bo's raptures were not silent；
and the instant the sun sank and the color faded she just as
rapturously importuned Helen to get out the huge basket of
food they bad brought from home。
They had two seats； facing each other； at the end of the
coach； and piled there； with th
