the man of the forest-第26节

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bright。　　Isn't　the　morning　perfectly　lovely？　　。　。　。　　Couldn't
you　get　drunk　on　that　air？　　I　smell　flowers。　　And　oh！　　I'm
hungry！〃

〃Bo；　our　host　will　soon　have　need　of　his　hunting　abilities
if　your　appetite　holds；〃　said　Helen；　as　she　tried　to　keep
her　hair　out　of　her　eyes　while　she　laced　her　boots。

〃Look！　　there's　a　big　dog　　a　hound。〃

Helen　looked　as　Bo　directed；　and　saw　a　hound　of　unusually
large　proportions；　black　and　tan　in　color；　with　long；
drooping　ears。　　Curiously　he　trotted　nearer　to　the　door　of
their　hut　and　then　stopped　to　gaze　at　them。　　His　head　was
noble；　his　eyes　shone　dark　and　sad。　　He　seemed　neither
friendly　nor　unfriendly。

〃Hello；　doggie！　　Come　right　in　　we　won't　hurt　you；〃　called
Bo；　but　without　enthusiasm。

This　made　Helen　laugh。　　〃Bo；　you're　simply　delicious；〃　she
said。　　〃You're　afraid　of　that　dog。〃

〃Sure。　　Wonder　if　he's　Dale's。　　Of　course　he　must　be。〃

Presently　the　hound　trotted　away　out　of　sight。　　When　the
girls　presented　themselves　at　the　camp…fire　they　espied
their　curious　canine　visitor　lying　down。　　His　ears　were　so
long　that　half　of　them　lay　on　the　ground。

〃I　sent　Pedro　over　to　wake　you　girls　up；〃　said　Dale；　after
greeting　them。　　〃Did　he　scare　you？〃

〃Pedro。　　So　that's　his　name。　　No；　he　didn't　exactly　scare　me。
He　did　Nell；　though。　　She's　an　awful　tenderfoot；〃　replied　Bo。

〃He's　a　splendid…looking　dog；〃　said　Helen；　ignoring　her
sister's　sally。　　〃I　love　dogs。　　Will　he　make　friends？〃

〃He's　shy　an'　wild。　　You　see；　when　I　leave　camp　he　won't　hang
around。　　He　an'　Tom　are　jealous　of　each　other。　　I　had　a　pack
of　hounds　an'　lost　all　but　Pedro　on　account　of　Tom。　　I　think
you　can　make　friends　with　Pedro。　　Try　it。〃

Whereupon　Helen　made　overtures　to　Pedro；　and　not　wholly　in
vain。　　The　dog　was　matured；　of　almost　stern　aloofness；　and
manifestly　not　used　to　people。　　His　deep；　wine…dark　eyes
seemed　to　search　Helen's　soul。　　They　were　honest　and　wise；
with　a　strange　sadness。

〃He　looks　intelligent；〃　observed　Helen；　as　she　smoothed　the
long；　dark　ears。

〃That　hound　is　nigh　human；〃　responded　Dale。　　〃Come；　an'　while
you　eat　I'll　tell　you　about　Pedro。〃

Dale　had　gotten　the　hound　as　a　pup　from　a　Mexican
sheep…herder　who　claimed　he　was　part　California　bloodhound。
He　grew　up；　becoming　attached　to　Dale。　　In　his　younger　days
he　did　not　get　along　well　with　Dale's　other　pets　and　Dale
gave　him　to　a　rancher　down　in　the　valley。　　Pedro　was　back　in
Dale's　camp　next　day。　　From　that　day　Dale　began　to　care　more
for　the　hound；　but　he　did　not　want　to　keep　him；　for　various
reasons；　chief　of　which　was　the　fact　that　Pedro　was　too　fine
a　dog　to　be　left　alone　half　the　time　to　shift　for　himself。
That　fall　Dale　had　need　to　go　to　the　farthest　village；
Snowdrop；　where　he　left　Pedro　with　a　friend。　　Then　Dale　rode
to　Show　Down　and　Pine；　and　the　camp　of　the　Beemans'　and　with
them　he　trailed　some　wild　horses　for　a　hundred　miles；　over
into　New　Mexico。　　The　snow　was　flying　when　Dale　got　back　to
his　camp　in　the　mountains。　　And　there　was　Pedro；　gaunt　and
worn；　overjoyed　to　welcome　him　home。　　Roy　Beeman　visited　Dale
that　October　and　told　that　Dale's　friend　in　Snowdrop　had　not
been　able　to　keep　Pedro。　　He　broke　a　chain　and　scaled　a
ten…foot　fence　to　escape。　　He　trailed　Dale　to　Show　Down；
where　one　of　Dale's　friends；　recognizing　the　hound；　caught
him；　and　meant　to　keep　him　until　Dale's　return。　　But　Pedro
refused　to　eat。　　It　happened　that　a　freighter　was　going　out
to　the　Beeman　camp；　and　Dale's　friend　boxed　Pedro　up　and　put
him　on　the　wagon。　　Pedro　broke　out　of　the　box；　returned　to
Show　Down；　took　up　Dale's　trail　to　Pine；　and　then　on　to　the
Beeman　camp。　　That　was　as　far　as　Roy　could　trace　the
movements　of　the　hound。　　But　he　believed；　and　so　did　Dale；
that　Pedro　had　trailed　them　out　on　the　wild…horse　hunt。　　The
following　spring　Dale　learned　more　from　the　herder　of　a
sheepman　at　whose　camp　he　and　the　Beemans；　had　rested　on　the
way　into　New　Mexico。　　It　appeared　that　after　Dale　had　left
this　camp　Pedro　had　arrived；　and　another　Mexican　herder　had
stolen　the　hound。　　But　Pedro　got　away。

〃An'　he　was　here　when　I　arrived；〃　concluded　Dale；　smiling。
〃I　never　wanted　to　get　rid　of　him　after　that。　　He's　turned
out　to　be　the　finest　dog　I　ever　knew。　　He　knows　what　I　say。
He　can　almost　talk。　　An'　I　swear　he　can　cry。　　He　does　whenever
I　start　off　without　him。〃

〃How　perfectly　wonderful！〃　exclaimed　Bo。　　〃Aren't　animals
great？　　。　。　。　　But　I　love　horses　best。〃

It　seemed　to　Helen　that　Pedro　understood　they　were　talking
about　him；　for　he　looked　ashamed；　and　swallowed　hard；　and
dropped　his　gaze。　　She　knew　something　of　the　truth　about　the
love　of　dogs　for　their　owners。　　This　story　of　Dale's；
however；　was　stranger　than　any　she　had　ever　heard。

Tom；　the　cougar；　put　in　an　appearance　then；　and　there　was
scarcely　love　in　the　tawny　eyes　he　bent　upon　Pedro。　　But　the
hound　did　not　deign　to　notice　him。　　Tom　sidled　up　to　Bo；　who
sat　on　the　farther　side　of　the　tarpaulin　table…cloth；　and
manifestly　wanted　part　of　her　breakfast。

〃Gee！　　I　love　the　look　of　him；〃　she　said。　　〃But　when　he's
close　he　makes　my　flesh　creep。〃

〃Beasts　are　as　queer　as　people；〃　observed　Dale。　　〃They　take
likes　an'　dislikes。　　I　believe　Tom　has　taken　a　shine　to　you
an'　Pedro　begins　to　be　interested　in　your　sister。　　I　can
tell。〃

〃Where's　Bud？〃　inquired　Bo。

〃He's　asleep　or　around　somewhere。　　Now；　soon　as　I　get　the
work　done；　what　would　you　girls　like　to　do？〃

〃Ride！〃　declared　Bo；　eagerly。

〃Aren't　you　sore　an'　stiff？〃

〃I　am　that。　　But　I　don't　care。　　Besides；　when　I　used　to　go　out
to　my　uncle's　farm　near　Saint　Joe　I　always　found　riding　to
be　a　cure　for　aches。〃

〃Sure　is；　if　you　can　stand　it。　　An'　what　will　your　sister
like　to　do？〃　returned　Dale；　turning　to　Helen。

〃Oh；　I'll　rest；　and　watch　you　folks　　and　dream；〃　replied
Helen。

〃But　after　you've　rested　you　must　be　active；〃　said　Dale；
seriously。　　〃You　must　do　things。　　It　doesn't　matter　what；　just
as　long　as　you　don't　sit　idle。〃

〃Why？〃　queried　Helen；　in　surprise。　　〃Why　not　be　idle　here　in
this　beautiful；　wild　place？　　just　to　dream　away　the　hours　
the　days！　　I　could　do　it。〃

〃But　you　mustn't。　　It　took　me　years　to　learn　how　bad　that　was
for　me。　　An'　right　now　I　would　love　nothin'　more　than　to
forget　my　work；　my　horses　an'　pets　　everythin'；　an'　just
lay　around；　seein'　an'　feelin'。〃

〃Seeing　and　feeling？　　Yes；　that　must　be　what　I　mean。　　But　why
　what　is　it？　　There　are　the　beauty　and　color　　the　wild；
shaggy　slopes　　the　gray　cliffs　　the　singing　wind　　the
lulling　water　　the　clouds　　the　sky。　　And　the　silence；
loneliness；　sweetness　of　it　all。〃

〃It's　a　driftin'　back。　　What　I　love　to　do　an'　yet　fear　most。
It's　what　makes　a　lone　hunter　of　a　man。　　An'　it　can　grow　so
strong　that　it　binds　a　man　to　the　wilds。〃

〃How　strange！〃　murmured　Helen。　　〃But　that　could　never　bind
ME。　　Why；　I　must　live　and　fulfil　my　mission；　my　work　in　the
civilized　world。〃

It　seemed　to　Helen　that　Dale　almost　imperceptibly　shrank　at
her　earnest　words。

〃The　ways　of　Nature　are　strange；〃　he　said。　　〃I　look　at　it
different。　　Nature's　just　as　keen　to　wean　you　back　to　a
savage　state　as　you　are　to　be　civilized。　　An'　if　Nature　won；
you　would　carry　out　her　design　all　the　better。〃

This　hunter's　talk　shocked　Helen　and　yet　stimulated　her
mind。

〃Me　　a　savage？　　Oh　no！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃But；　if　that　were
possible；　what　would　Nature's　design　be？〃

〃You　spoke　of　your　mission　in　life；〃　he　replied。　　〃A　woman's
mission　is　to　have　children。　　The　female　of　any　species　has
only　one　mission　　to　reproduce　its　kind。　　An'　Nature　has
only　one　mission　　toward　greater　strength；　virility；
efficiency　　absolute　perfection；　which　is　unattainable。〃

〃What　of　mental　and　spiritual　development　of　man　and　woman？〃
asked　Helen。

〃Both　are　direct　obstacles　to　the　design　of　Nature。　　Nature
is　physical。　　To　create　for　limitless　endurance　for　eternal
life。　　That　must　be　Nature's　inscrutable　design。　　An'　why　she
must　fail。〃

〃But　the　soul！〃　whispered　Helen。

〃Ah！　　When　you　speak　of　the　soul　an'　I　speak　of　life　we　mean
the　same。　　You　an'　I　will　have　some　talks　while　you're　here。
I　must　brush　up　my　thoughts。〃

〃So　must　I；　it　seems；〃　said　Helen；　with　a　slow　smile。　　She
had　been　rendered　grave　and　thoughtful。　　〃But　I　guess　I'll
risk　dreaming　under　the　pines。〃

Bo　had　been　watching　them　with　her　keen　blue　eyes。

〃Nell；　it'd　take　a　thousand　years　to　make　a　savage　of　you；〃
she　said。　　〃But　a　week　will　do　for　me。〃

〃Bo；　you　were　one　before　you　left　Saint　Joe；〃　replied　Helen。
〃Don't　you　remember　that　school…teacher　Barnes　who　said　you
were　a　wildcat　and　an　Indian　mixed？　　He　spanked　you　with　a
ruler。〃

〃Never！　　He　missed　me；〃　retorted　Bo；　with　red　in　her　cheeks。
〃Nell；　I　wish　you'd　not　tell　things　about　me　when　I　was　a
kid。〃

〃That　was　only　two　years　ago；〃　expostulated　Helen；　in　mild
surprise。

〃Suppose　it　was。　　I　was　a　kid　all　right。　　I'll　bet　you　…〃　Bo
broke　up　abruptly；　and；　tossing　her　head；　she　gave　Tom　a　pat
and　then　ran　away　around　the　corner　of　cliff　wall。

Helen　followed　leisurely。

〃Say；　Nell；〃　said　Bo；　when　Helen　arrived　at　their　little
green　ledge…pole　hut；　〃do　you　know　that　hunter　fellow　will
upset　some　of　your　theories？〃

〃Maybe。　　I'll　a