the man of the forest-第21节

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〃Hey；　Milt；　I　forgot　about　thet　darned　pet　cougar　of　yours
an'　the　rest　of　your　menagerie。　　Reckon　they　won't　scare　the
girls？　　Especially　old　Tom？〃

〃You　won't　see　Tom　till　I　get　home；〃　replied　Dale。

〃Ain't　he　corralled　or　tied　up？〃

〃No。　　He　has　the　run　of　the　place。〃

〃Wal；　good…by；　then；　an'　rustle　along。〃

Dale　nodded　to　the　girls；　and；　turning　his　horse；　he　drove
the　pack…train　before　him　up　the　open　space　between　the
stream　and　the　wooded　slope。

Roy　stepped　off　his　horse　with　that　single　action　which
appeared　such　a　feat　to　Helen。

〃Guess　I'd　better　cinch　up；〃　he　said；　as　he　threw　a　stirrup
up　over　the　pommel　of　his　saddle。　　〃You　girls　are　goin'　to
see　wild　country。〃

〃Who's　old　Tom？〃　queried　Bo；　curiously。

〃Why；　he's　Milt's　pet　cougar。〃

〃Cougar？　　That's　a　panther　　a　mountain…lion；　didn't　he
say？〃

〃Shore　is。　　Tom　is　a　beauty。　　An'　if　he　takes　a　likin'　to　you
he'll　love　you；　play　with　you；　maul　you　half　to　death。〃

Bo　was　all　eyes。

〃Dale　has　other　pets；　too？〃　she　questioned；　eagerly。

〃I　never　was　up　to　his　camp　but　what　it　was　overrun　with
birds　an'　squirrels　an'　vermin　of　all　kinds；　as　tame　as　tame
as　cows。　　Too　darn　tame；　Milt　says。　　But　I　can't　figger　thet。
You　girls　will　never　want　to　leave　thet　senaca　of　his。〃

〃What's　a　senaca？〃　asked　Helen；　as　she　shifted　her　foot　to
let　him　tighten　the　cinches　on　her　saddle。

〃Thet's　Mexican　for　park；　I　guess；〃　he　replied。　　〃These
mountains　are　full　of　parks；　an'；　say；　I　don't　ever　want　to
see　no　prettier　place　till　I　get　to　heaven。　。　。　。　　There；
Ranger；　old　boy；　thet's　tight。〃

He　slapped　the　horse　affectionately；　and；　turning　to　his
own；　he　stepped　and　swung　his　long　length　up。

〃It　ain't　deep　crossin'　here。　　Come　on；〃　he　called；　and
spurred　his　bay。

The　stream　here　was　wide　and　it　looked　deep；　but　turned　out
to　be　deceptive。

〃Wal；　girls；　here　beginneth　the　second　lesson；〃　he　drawled；
cheerily。　　〃Ride　one　behind　the　other　　stick　close　to　me　
do　what　I　do　　an'　holler　when　you　want　to　rest　or　if
somethin'　goes　bad。〃

With　that　he　spurred　into　the　thicket。　　Bo　went　next　and
Helen　followed。　　The　willows　dragged　at　her　so　hard　that　she
was　unable　to　watch　Roy；　and　the　result　was　that　a
low…sweeping　branch　of　a　tree　knocked　her　hard　on　the　head。
It　hurt　and　startled　her；　and　roused　her　mettle。　　Roy　was
keeping　to　the　easy　trot　that　covered　ground　so　well；　and　he
led　up　a　slope　to　the　open　pine　forest。　　Here　the　ride　for
several　miles　was　straight；　level；　and　open。　　Helen　liked　the
forest　to…day。　　It　was　brown　and　green；　with　patches　of　gold
where　the　sun　struck。　　She　saw　her　first　bird　　big　blue
grouse　that　whirred　up　from　under　her　horse；　and　little
checkered　gray　quail　that　appeared　awkward　on　the　wing。
Several　times　Roy　pointed　out　deer　flashing　gray　across　some
forest　aisle；　and　often　when　he　pointed　Helen　was　not　quick
enough　to　see。

Helen　realized　that　this　ride　would　make　up　for　the　hideous
one　of　yesterday。　　So　far　she　had　been　only　barely　conscious
of　sore　places　and　aching　bones。　　These　she　would　bear　with。
She　loved　the　wild　and　the　beautiful；　both　of　which
increased　manifestly　with　every　mile。　　The　sun　was　warm；　the
air　fragrant　and　cool；　the　sky　blue　as　azure　and　so　deep
that　she　imagined　that　she　could　look　far　up　into　it。

Suddenly　Roy　reined　in　so　sharply　that　he　pulled　the　bay　up
short。

〃Look！〃　he　called；　sharply。

Bo　screamed。

〃Not　thet　way！　　Here！　　Aw；　he's　gone！〃

〃Nell！　　It　was　a　bear！　　I　saw　it！　　Oh！　　not　like　circus　bears　at
all！〃　cried　Bo。

Helen　had　missed　her　opportunity。

〃Reckon　he　was　a　grizzly；　an'　I'm　jest　as　well　pleased　thet
he　loped　off；〃　said　Roy。　　Altering　his　course　somewhat；　he
led　to　an　old　rotten　log　that　the　bear　had　been　digging　in。
〃After　grubs。　　There；　see　his　track。　　He　was　a　whopper　shore
enough。〃

They　rode　on；　out　to　a　high　point　that　overlooked　canuon　and
range；　gorge　and　ridge；　green　and　black　as　far　as　Helen
could　see。　　The　ranges　were　bold　and　long；　climbing　to　the
central　uplift；　where　a　number　of　fringed　peaks　raised　their
heads　to　the　vast　bare　dome　of　Old　Baldy。　　Far　as　vision
could　see；　to　the　right　lay　one　rolling　forest　of　pine；
beautiful　and　serene。　　Somewhere　down　beyond　must　have　lain
the　desert；　but　it　was　not　in　sight。

〃I　see　turkeys　'way　down　there；〃　said　Roy；　backing　away。
〃We'll　go　down　and　around　an'　mebbe　I'll　get　a　shot。〃

Descent　beyond　a　rocky　point　was　made　through　thick　brush。
This　slope　consisted　of　wide　benches　covered　with　copses　and
scattered　pines　and　many　oaks。　　Helen　was　delighted　to　see
the　familiar　trees；　although　these　were　different　from
Missouri　oaks。　　Rugged　and　gnarled；　but　not　tall；　these　trees
spread　wide　branches；　the　leaves　of　which　were　yellowing。
Roy　led　into　a　grassy　glade；　and；　leaping　off　his　horse；
rifle　in　hand；　he　prepared　to　shoot　at　something。　　Again　Bo
cried　out；　but　this　time　it　was　in　delight。　　Then　Helen　saw
an　immense　flock　of　turkeys；　apparently　like　the　turkeys　she
knew　at　home；　but　these　had　bronze　and　checks　of　white；　and
they　looked　wild。　　There　must　have　been　a　hundred　in　the
flock；　most　of　them　hens。　　A　few　gobblers　on　the　far　side
began　the　flight；　running　swiftly　off。　　Helen　plainly　heard
the　thud　of　their　feet。　　Roy　shot　once　　twice　　three
times。　　Then　rose　a　great　commotion。　　and　thumping；　and　a　loud
roar　of　many　wings。　　Dust　and　leaves　whirling　in　the　air　were
left　where　the　turkeys　had　been。

〃Wal；　I　got　two；〃　said　Roy；　and　he　strode　forward　to　pick　up
his　game。　　Returning；　he　tied　two　shiny；　plump　gobblers　back
of　his　saddle　and　remounted　his　horse。　　〃We'll　have　turkey
to…night；　if　Milt　gets　to　camp　in　time。〃

The　ride　was　resumed。　　Helen　never　would　have　tired　riding
through　those　oak　groves；　brown　and　sear　and　yellow；　with
leaves　and　acorns　falling。

〃Bears　have　been　workin'　in　here　already；〃　said　Roy。　　〃I　see
tracks　all　over。　　They　eat　acorns　in　the　fall。　　An'　mebbe
we'll　run　into　one　yet。〃

The　farther　down　he　led　the　wilder　and　thicker　grew　the
trees；　so　that　dodging　branches　was　no　light　task。　　Ranger
did　not　seem　to　care　how　close　he　passed　a　tree　or　under　a
limb；　so　that　he　missed　them　himself；　but　Helen　thereby　got
some　additional　bruises。　　Particularly　hard　was　it；　when
passing　a　tree；　to　get　her　knee　out　of　the　way　in　time。

Roy　halted　next　at　what　appeared　a　large　green　pond　full　of
vegetation　and　in　places　covered　with　a　thick　scum。　　But　it
had　a　current　and　an　outlet；　proving　it　to　be　a　huge；
spring。　　Roy　pointed　down　at　a　muddy　place。

〃Bear…wallow。　　He　heard　us　comin'。　　Look　at　thet　little　track。
Cub　track。　　An'　look　at　these　scratches　on　this　tree；　higher
'n　my　head。　　An　old　she…bear　stood　up；　an'　scratched　them。〃

Roy　sat　his　saddle　and　reached　up　to　touch　fresh　marks　on
the　tree。

〃Woods's　full　of　big　bears；〃　he　said；　grinning。　　〃An'　I　take
it　particular　kind　of　this　old　she　rustlin'　off　with　her
cub。　　She…bears　with　cubs　are　dangerous。〃

The　next　place　to　stir　Helen　to　enthusiasm　was　the　glen　at
the　bottom　of　this　canuon。　　Beech…trees；　maples；　aspens；
overtopped　by　lofty　pines；　made　dense　shade　over　a　brook
where　trout　splashed　on　the　brown；　swirling　current；　and
leaves　drifted　down；　and　stray　flecks　of　golden　sunlight
lightened　the　gloom。　　Here　was　hard　riding　to　and　fro　across
the　brook；　between　huge　mossy　boulders；　and　between　aspens
so　close　together　that　Helen　could　scarce　squeeze　her　knees
through。

Once　more　Roy　climbed　out　of　that　canuon；　over　a　ridge　into
another；　down　long　wooded　slopes　and　through　scrub…oak
thickets；　on　and　on　till　the　sun　stood　straight　overhead。
Then　he　halted　for　a　short　rest；　unsaddled　the　horses　to　let
them　roll；　and　gave　the　girls　some　cold　lunch　that　he　had
packed。　　He　strolled　off　with　his　gun；　and；　upon　returning；
resaddled　and　gave　the　word　to　start。

That　was　the　last　of　rest　and　easy　traveling　for　the　girls。
The　forest　that　he　struck　into　seemed　ribbed　like　a
washboard　with　deep　ravines　so　steep　of　slope　as　to　make
precarious　travel。　　Mostly　he　kept　to　the　bottom　where　dry
washes　afforded　a　kind　of　trail。　　But　it　was　necessary　to
cross　these　ravines　when　they　were　too　long　to　be　headed；
and　this　crossing　was　work。

The　locust　thickets　characteristic　of　these　slopes　were
thorny　and　close　knit。　　They　tore　and　scratched　and　stung
both　horses　and　riders。　　Ranger　appeared　to　be　the　most
intelligent　of　the　horses　and　suffered　less。　　Bo's　white
mustang　dragged　her　through　more　than　one　brambly　place。　　On
the　other　hand；　some　of　these　steep　slopes；　were
comparatively　free　of　underbrush。　　Great　firs　and　pines
loomed　up　on　all　sides。　　The　earth　was　soft　and　the　hoofs
sank　deep。　　Toward　the　bottom　of　a　descent　Ranger　would　brace
his　front　feet　and　then　slide　down　on　his　haunches。　　This
mode　facilitated　travel；　but　it　frightened　Helen。　　The　climb
out　then　on　the　other　side　had　to　be　done　on　foot。

After　half　a　dozen　slopes　surmounted　in　this　way　Helen's
strength　was　spent　and　her　breath　was　gone。　　She　felt
light…headed。　　She　could　not　get　enough　air。　　Her　feet　felt
like　lead；　and　her　riding…coat　was　a　burden。　　A　hundred
times；　hot　and　wet　and　throbbing；　she　was　compelled　to　stop。
Always　she　had　been