the man of the forest-第84章

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nature。　　Ages　before　men　had　lived　on　the　earth　there　had
been　the　creatures　of　the　wilderness；　and　the　holes　of　the
rocks；　and　the　nests　of　the　trees；　and　rain；　frost；　heat；
dew；　sunlight　and　night；　storm　and　calm；　the　honey　of　the
wildflower　and　the　instinct　of　the　bee　　all　the　beautiful
and　multiple　forms　of　life　with　their　inscrutable　design。　　To
know　something　of　them　and　to　love　them　was　to　be　close　to
the　kingdom　of　earth　　perhaps　to　the　greater　kingdom　of
heaven。　　For　whatever　breathed　and　moved　was　a　part　of　that
creation。　　The　coo　of　the　dove；　the　lichen　on　the　mossy　rock；
the　mourn　of　a　hunting　wolf；　and　the　murmur　of　the
waterfall；　the　ever…green　and　growing　tips　of　the　spruces；
and　the　thunderbolts　along　the　battlements　of　the　heights　
these　one　and　all　must　be　actuated　by　the　great　spirit　
that　incalculable　thing　in　the　universe　which　had　produced
man　and　soul。

And　there　in　the　starlight；　under　the　wide…gnarled　pines；
sighing　low　with　the　wind；　Helen　sat　with　Dale　on　the　old
stone　that　an　avalanche　of　a　million　years　past　had　flung
from　the　rampart　above　to　serve　as　camp…table　and　bench　for
lovers　in　the　wilderness；　the　sweet　scent　of　spruce　mingled
with　the　fragrance　of　wood…smoke　blown　in　their　faces。　　How
white　the　stars；　and　calm　and　true！　　How　they　blazed　their
single　task！　　A　coyote　yelped　off　on　the　south　slope；　dark
now　as　midnight。　　A　bit　of　weathered　rock　rolled　and　tapped
from　shelf　to　shelf。　　And　the　wind　moaned。　　Helen　felt　all　the
sadness　and　mystery　and　nobility　of　this　lonely　fastness；
and　full　on　her　heart　rested　the　supreme　consciousness　that
all　would　some　day　be　well　with　the　troubled　world　beyond。

〃Nell；　I'll　homestead　this　park；〃　said　Dale。　　〃Then　it'll
always　be　ours。〃

〃Homestead！　　What's　that？〃　murmured　Helen；　dreamily。　　The　word
sounded　sweet。

〃The　government　will　give　land　to　men　who　locate　an'　build；〃
replied　Dale。　　〃We'll　run　up　a　log　cabin。〃

〃And　come　here　often。　。　。　。　　Paradise　Park！〃　whispered　Helen。

Dale's　first　kisses　were　on　her　lips　then；　hard　and　cool　and
clean；　like　the　life　of　the　man；　singularly　exalting　to　her；
completing　her　woman's　strange　and　unutterable　joy　of　the
hour；　and　rendering　her　mute。

Bo's　melodious　laugh；　and　her　voice　with　its　old　mockery　of
torment；　drifted　softly　on　the　night　breeze。　　And　the
cowboy's　〃Aw；　Bo；〃　drawling　his　reproach　and　longing；　was
all　that　the　tranquil；　waiting　silence　needed。

Paradise　Park　was　living　again　one　of　its　romances。　　Love　was
no　stranger　to　that　lonely　fastness。　　Helen　heard　in　the
whisper　of　the　wind　through　the　pine　the　old…earth　story；
beautiful；　ever　new；　and　yet　eternal。　　She　thrilled　to　her
depths。　　The　spar…pointed　spruces　stood　up　black　and　clear
against　the　noble　stars。　　All　that　vast　solitude　breathed　and
waited；　charged　full　with　its　secret；　ready　to　reveal　itself
to　her　tremulous　soul。







End