the man of the forest-第29节

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Dale's　admiration。　　The　issue　now　lay　between　Bo　and　the
mustang。

Pony　reared；　snorting；　tossing　his　head；　and　pawing　with
front　feet。

〃Pull　him　down！〃　yelled　Dale。

Bo　did　not　have　much　weight；　but　she　had　strength；　an　she
hauled　with　all　her　might；　finally　bringing　him　down。

〃Now　hold　hard　an'　take　up　rope　an'　get　in　to　him；〃　called
Dale。　　〃Good！　　You're　sure　not　afraid　of　him。　　He　sees　that。
Now　hold　him；　talk　to　him；　tell　him　you're　goin'　to　ride
him。　　Pet　him　a　little。　　An'　when　he　quits　shakin'；　grab　his
mane　an'　jump　up　an'　slide　a　leg　over　him。　　Then　hook　your
feet　under　him；　hard　as　you　can；　an'　stick　on。〃

If　Helen　had　not　been　so　frightened　for　Bo　she　would　have
been　able　to　enjoy　her　other　sensations。　　Creeping；　cold
thrills　chased　over　her　as　Bo；　supple　and　quick；　slid　an　arm
and　a　leg　over　Pony　and　straightened　up　on　him　with　a
defiant　cry。　　Pony　jerked　his　head　down；　brought　his　feet
together　in　one　jump；　and　began　to　bounce。　　Bo　got　the　swing
of　him　this　time　and　stayed　on。

〃You're　ridin'　him；〃　yelled　Dale。　　〃Now　squeeze　hard　with
your　knees。　　Crack　him　over　the　head　with　your　rope。　。　。　。
That's　the　way。　　Hang　on　now　an'　you'll　have　him　beat。〃

The　mustang　pitched　all　over　the　space　adjacent　to　Dale　and
Helen；　tearing　up　the　moss　and　grass。　　Several　times　he
tossed　Bo　high；　but　she　slid　back　to　grip　him　again　with　her
legs；　and　he　could　not　throw　her。　　Suddenly　he　raised　his
head　and　bolted。　　Dale　answered　Bo's　triumphant　cry。　　But　Pony
had　not　run　fifty　feet　before　he　tripped　and　fell；　throwing
Bo　far　over　his　head。　　As　luck　would　have　it　　good　luck；
Dale　afterward　said　　she　landed　in　a　boggy　place　and　the
force　of　her　momentum　was　such　that　she　slid　several　yards；
face　down；　in　wet　moss　and　black　ooze。

Helen　uttered　a　scream　and　ran　forward。　　Bo　was　getting　to
her　knees　when　Dale　reached　her。　　He　helped　her　up　and　half
led；　half　carried　her　out　of　the　boggy　place。　　Bo　was　not
recognizable。　　From　head　to　foot　she　was　dripping　black　ooze。

〃Oh；　Bo！　　Are　you　hurt？〃　cried　Helen。

Evidently　Bo's　mouth　was　full　of　mud。

〃Ppsutt！　　Ough！　　Whew！〃　she　sputtered。　　〃Hurt？　　No！　　Can't
you　see　what　I　lit　in？　　Dale；　the　sun…of…a…gun　didn't　throw
me。　　He　fell；　and　I　went　over　his　head。〃

〃Right。　　You　sure　rode　him。　　An'　he　tripped　an'　slung　you　a
mile；〃　replied　Dale。　　〃It's　lucky　you　lit　in　that　bog。〃

〃Lucky！　　With　eyes　and　nose　stopped　up？　　Oooo！　　I'm　full　of
mud。　　And　my　nice　　new　riding…suit！〃

Bo's　tones　indicated　that　she　was　ready　to　cry。　　Helen；
realizing　Bo　had　not　been　hurt；　began　to　laugh。　　Her　sister
was　the　funniest…looking　object　that　had　ever　come　before
her　eyes。

〃Nell　Rayner　　are　you　　laughing　　at　me？〃　demanded　Bo；
in　most　righteous　amaze　and　anger。

〃Me　laugh…ing？　　N…never；　Bo；　〃replied　Helen。　　〃Can't　you　see
I'm　just　　just　〃

〃See？　　You　idiot！　　my　eyes　are　full　of　mud！〃　flashed　Bo。　　〃But
I　hear　you。　　I'll　　I'll　get　even。〃

Dale　was　laughing；　too；　but　noiselessly；　and　Bo；　being　blind
for　the　moment；　could　not　be　aware　of　that。　　By　this　time
they　had　reached　camp。　　Helen　fell　flat　and　laughed　as　she
had　never　laughed　before。　　When　Helen　forgot　herself　so　far
as　to　roll　on　the　ground　it　was　indeed　a　laughing　matter。
Dale's　big　frame　shook　as　he　possessed　himself　of　a　towel
and；　wetting　it　at　the　spring；　began　to　wipe　the　mud　off
Bo's　face。　　But　that　did　not　serve。　　Bo　asked　to　be　led　to　the
water；　where　she　knelt　and；　with　splashing；　washed　out　her
eyes；　and　then　her　face；　and　then　the　bedraggled　strands　of
hair。

〃That　mustang　didn't　break　my　neck；　but　he　rooted　my　face　in
the　mud。　　I'll　fix　him；〃　she　muttered；　as　she　got　up。　　〃Please
let　me　have　the　towel；　now。　。　。　。　　Well！　　Milt　Dale；　you're
laughing！〃

〃Ex…cuse　me；　Bo。　　I　　Haw！　　haw！　　haw！〃　Then　Dale　lurched　off；
holding　his　sides。

Bo　gazed　after　him　and　then　back　at　Helen。

〃I　suppose　if　I'd　been　kicked　and　smashed　and　killed　you'd
laugh；〃　she　said。　　And　then　she　melted。　　〃Oh；　my　pretty
riding…suit！　　What　a　mess！　　I　must　be　a　sight。　。　。　。　　Nell；　I
rode　that　wild　pony　　the　sun…of…a…gun！　　I　rode　him！　　That's
enough　for　me。　　YOU　try　it。　　Laugh　all　you　want。　　It　was　funny。
But　if　you　want　to　square　yourself　with　me；　help　me　clean　my
clothes。〃


Late　in　the　night　Helen　heard　Dale　sternly　calling　Pedro。
She　felt　some　little　alarm。　　However；　nothing　happened；　and
she　soon　went　to　sleep　again。　　At　the　morning　meal　Dale
explained。

〃Pedro　an'　Tom　were　uneasy　last　night。　　I　think　there　are
lions　workin'　over　the　ridge　somewhere。　　I　heard　one　scream。〃

〃Scream？〃　inquired　Bo；　with　interest。

〃Yes；　an'　if　you　ever　hear　a　lion　scream　you　will　think　it　a
woman　in　mortal　agony。　　The　cougar　cry；　as　Roy　calls　it；　is
the　wildest　to　be　heard　in　the　woods。　　A　wolf　howls。　　He　is
sad。　　hungry；　and　wild。　　But　a　cougar　seems　human　an'　dyin'
an'　wild。　　We'll　saddle　up　an'　ride　over　there。　　Maybe　Pedro
will　tree　a　lion。　　Bo；　if　he　does　will　you　shoot　it？〃

〃Sure；〃　replied　Bo；　with　her　mouth　full　of　biscuit。

That　was　how　they　came　to　take　a　long；　slow；　steep　ride
under　cover　of　dense　spruce。　　Helen　liked　the　ride　after　they
got　on　the　heights。　　But　they　did　not　get　to　any　point　where
she　could　indulge　in　her　pleasure　of　gazing　afar　over　the
ranges。　　Dale　led　up　and　down；　and　finally　mostly　down；　until
they　came　out　within　sight　of　sparser　wooded　ridges　with
parks　lying　below　and　streams　shining　in　the　sun。

More　than　once　Pedro　had　to　be　harshly　called　by　Dale。　　The
hound　scented　game。

〃Here's　an　old　kill；〃　said　Dale；　halting　to　point　at　some
bleached　bones　scattered　under　a　spruce。　　Tufts　of
grayish…white　hair　lay　strewn　around。

〃What　was　it？〃　asked　Bo。

〃Deer；　of　course。　　Killed　there　an'　eaten　by　a　lion。　　Sometime
last　fall。　　See；　even　the　skull　is　split。　　But　I　could　not　say
that　the　lion　did　it。〃

Helen　shuddered。　　She　thought　of　the　tame　deer　down　at　Dale's
camp。　　How　beautiful　and　graceful；　and　responsive　to
kindness！

They　rode　out　of　the　woods　into　a　grassy　swale　with　rocks
and　clumps　of　some　green　bushes　bordering　it。　　Here　Pedro
barked；　the　first　time　Helen　had　heard　him。　　The　hair　on　his
neck　bristled；　and　it　required　stern　calls　from　Dale　to　hold
him　in。　　Dale　dismounted。

〃Hyar；　Pede；　you　get　back；〃　he　ordered。　　〃I'll　let　you　go
presently。　。　。　。　　Girls；　you're　goin'　to　see　somethin'。　　But
stay　on　your　horses。〃

Dale；　with　the　hound　tense　and　bristling　beside　him；　strode
here　and　there　at　the　edge　of　the　swale。　　Presently　he　halted
on　a　slight　elevation　and　beckoned　for　the　girls　to　ride
over。

〃Here；　see　where　the　grass　is　pressed　down　all　nice　an'
round；〃　he　said；　pointing。　　〃A　lion　made　that。　　He　sneaked
there；　watchin'　for　deer。　　That　was　done　this　mornin'。　　Come
on；　now。　　Let's　see　if　we　can　trail　him。〃

Dale　stooped　now；　studying　the　grass；　and　holding　Pedro。
Suddenly　he　straightened　up　with　a　flash　in　his　gray　eyes。

〃Here's　where　he　jumped。〃

But　Helen　could　not　see　any　reason　why　Dale　should　say　that。
The　man　of　the　forest　took　a　long　stride　then　another。

〃An'　here's　where　that　lion　lit　on　the　back　of　the　deer。　　It
was　a　big　jump。　　See　the　sharp　hoof　tracks　of　the　deer。〃　Dale
pressed　aside　tall　grass　to　show　dark；　rough；　fresh　tracks
of　a　deer；　evidently　made　by　violent　action。

〃Come　on；〃　called　Dale；　walking　swiftly。　　〃You're　sure　goin'
to　see　somethin'　now。　。　。　。　　Here's　where　the　deer　bounded；
carryin'　the　lion。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Bo；　incredulously。

〃The　deer　was　runnin'　here　with　the　lion　on　his　back。　　I'll
prove　it　to　you。　　Come　on；　now。　　Pedro；　you　stay　with　me。
Girls；　it's　a　fresh　trail。〃　Dale　walked　along；　leading　his
horse；　and　occasionally　he　pointed　down　into　the　grass。
〃There！　　See　that！　　That's　hair。〃

Helen　did　see　some　tufts　of　grayish　hair　scattered　on　the
ground；　and　she　believed　she　saw　little；　dark　separations　in
the　grass；　where　an　animal　had　recently　passed。　　All　at　once
Dale　halted。　　When　Helen　reached　him　Bo　was　already　there　and
they　were　gazing　down　at　a　wide；　flattened　space　in　the
grass。　　Even　Helen's　inexperienced　eyes　could　make　out
evidences　of　a　struggle。　　Tufts　of　gray…white　hair　lay　upon
the　crushed　grass。　　Helen　did　not　need　to　see　any　more；　but
Dale　silently　pointed　to　a　patch　of　blood。　　Then　he　spoke：

〃The　lion　brought　the　deer　down　here　an'　killed　him。
Probably　broke　his　neck。　　That　deer　ran　a　hundred　yards　with
the　lion。　　See；　here's　the　trail　left　where　the　lion　dragged
the　deer　off。〃

A　well…defined　path　showed　across　the　swale。

〃Girls；　you'll　see　that　deer　pretty　quick；〃　declared　Dale；
starting　forward。　　〃This　work　has　just　been　done。　　Only　a　few
minutes　ago。〃

〃How　can　you　tell？〃　queried　Bo。

〃Look！　　See　that　grass。　　It　has　been　bent　down　by　the　deer
bein'　dragged　over　it。　　Now　it's　springin'　up。〃

Dale's　next　stop　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　swale；　under　a
spruce　with　low；　spreading　branches。　　The　look　of　Pedro
quickened　Helen's　pulse。　　He　was　wild　to　give　chase。
Fearfully　Helen　looked　where　Dale　pointed；　expecting　to　see
the　lion。　　But　she　saw　instead　a　deer　lying　prostrate　with
tongue　out　and　sightless　eyes　and　bloody　hair。

〃Girls；　that　lion　heard　us　an'　left。　　He's　not　far；〃　said
Dale；