the man of the forest-第3节

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himself　out；　and　soon　fell　asleep。


When　the　gray　dawn　broke　he　was　on　his　way；　'cross…country；
to　the　village　of　Pine。

During　the　night　the　wind　had　shifted　and　the　rain　had
ceased。　　A　suspicion　of　frost　shone　on　the　grass　in　open
places。　　All　was　gray　　the　parks；　the　glades　　and　deeper；
darker　gray　marked　the　aisles　of　the　forest。　　Shadows　lurked
under　the　trees　and　the　silence　seemed　consistent　with
spectral　forms。　　Then　the　east　kindled；　the　gray　lightened；
the　dreaming　woodland　awoke　to　the　far…reaching　rays　of　a
bursting　red　sun。

This　was　always　the　happiest　moment　of　Dale's　lonely　days；
as　sunset　was　his　saddest。　　He　responded；　and　there　was
something　in　his　blood　that　answered　the　whistle　of　a　stag
from　a　near…by　ridge。　　His　strides　were　long；　noiseless；　and
they　left　dark　trace　where　his　feet　brushed　the　dew…laden
grass。

Dale　pursued　a　zigzag　course　over　the　ridges　to　escape　the
hardest　climbing；　but　the　〃senacas〃　　those　parklike
meadows　so　named　by　Mexican　sheep…herders　　were　as　round
and　level　as　if　they　had　been　made　by　man　in　beautiful
contrast　to　the　dark…green；　rough；　and　rugged　ridges。　　Both
open　senaca　and　dense　wooded　ridge　showed　to　his　quick　eye
an　abundance　of　game。　　The　cracking　of　twigs　and　disappearing
flash　of　gray　among　the　spruces；　a　round　black　lumbering
object；　a　twittering　in　the　brush；　and　stealthy　steps；　were
all　easy　signs　for　Dale　to　read。　　Once；　as　he　noiselessly
emerged　into　a　little　glade；　he　espied　a　red　fox　stalking
some　quarry；　which；　as　he　advanced；　proved　to　be　a　flock　of
partridges。　　They　whirred　up；　brushing　the　branches；　and　the
fox　trotted　away。　　In　every　senaca　Dale　encountered　wild
turkeys　feeding　on　the　seeds　of　the　high　grass。

It　had　always　been　his　custom；　on　his　visits　to　Pine；　to
kill　and　pack　fresh　meat　down　to　several　old　friends；　who
were　glad　to　give　him　lodging。　　And；　hurried　though　he　was
now；　he　did　not　intend　to　make　an　exception　of　this　trip。

At　length　he　got　down　into　the　pine　belt；　where　the　great；
gnarled；　yellow　trees　soared　aloft；　stately；　and　aloof　from
one　another；　and　the　ground　was　a　brown；　odorous；　springy
mat　of　pine…needles；　level　as　a　floor。　　Squirrels　watched　him
from　all　around；　scurrying　away　at　his　near　approach　
tiny；　brown；　light…striped　squirrels；　and　larger　ones；
russet…colored；　and　the　splendid　dark…grays　with　their　white
bushy　tails　and　plumed　ears。

This　belt　of　pine　ended　abruptly　upon　wide；　gray；　rolling；
open　land；　almost　like　a　prairie；　with　foot…hills　lifting
near　and　far；　and　the　red…gold　blaze　of　aspen　thickets
catching　the　morning　sun。　　Here　Dale　flushed　a　flock　of　wild
turkeys；　upward　of　forty　in　number；　and　their　subdued　color
of　gray　flecked　with　white；　and　graceful；　sleek　build；
showed　them　to　be　hens。　　There　was　not　a　gobbler　in　the
flock。　　They　began　to　run　pell…mell　out　into　the　grass；　until
only　their　heads　appeared　bobbing　along；　and　finally
disappeared。　　Dale　caught　a　glimpse　of　skulking　coyotes　that
evidently　had　been　stalking　the　turkeys；　and　as　they　saw　him
and　darted　into　the　timber　he　took　a　quick　shot　at　the
hindmost。　　His　bullet　struck　low；　as　he　had　meant　it　to；　but
too　low；　and　the　coyote　got　only　a　dusting　of　earth　and
pine…needles　thrown　up　into　his　face。　　This　frightened　him　so
that　he　leaped　aside　blindly　to　butt　into　a　tree；　rolled
over；　gained　his　feet；　and　then　the　cover　of　the　forest。
Dale　was　amused　at　this。　　His　hand　was　against　all　the
predatory　beasts　of　the　forest；　though　he　had　learned　that
lion　and　bear　and　wolf　and　fox　were　all　as　necessary　to　the
great　scheme　of　nature　as　were　the　gentle；　beautiful　wild
creatures　upon　which　they　preyed。　　But　some　he　loved　better
than　others；　and　so　he　deplored　the　inexplicable　cruelty。

He　crossed　the　wide；　grassy　plain　and　struck　another　gradual
descent　where　aspens　and　pines　crowded　a　shallow　ravine　and
warm；　sun…lighted　glades　bordered　along　a　sparkling　brook。
Here　be　heard　a　turkey　gobble；　and　that　was　a　signal　for　him
to　change　his　course　and　make　a　crouching；　silent　detour
around　a　clump　of　aspens。　　In　a　sunny　patch　of　grass　a　dozen
or　more　big　gobblers　stood；　all　suspiciously　facing　in　his
direction；　heads　erect；　with　that　wild　aspect　peculiar　to
their　species。　　Old　wild　turkey　gobblers　were　the　most
difficult　game　to　stalk。　　Dale　shot　two　of　them。　　The　others
began　to　run　like　ostriches；　thudding　over　the　ground；
spreading　their　wings；　and　with　that　running　start　launched
their　heavy　bodies　into　whirring　flight。　　They　flew　low；　at
about　the　height　of　a　man　from　the　grass；　and　vanished　in
the　woods。

Dale　threw　the　two　turkeys　over　his　shoulder　and　went　on　his
way。　　Soon　he　came　to　a　break　in　the　forest　level；　from　which
he　gazed　down　a　league…long　slope　of　pine　and　cedar；　out
upon　the　bare；　glistening　desert；　stretching　away；　endlessly
rolling　out　to　the　dim；　dark　horizon　line。

The　little　hamlet　of　Pine　lay　on　the　last　level　of　sparsely
timbered　forest。　　A　road；　running　parallel　with　a
dark…watered；　swift…flowing　stream；　divided　the　cluster　of
log　cabins　from　which　columns　of　blue　smoke　drifted　lazily
aloft。　　Fields　of　corn　and　fields　of　oats；　yellow　in　the
sunlight；　surrounded　the　village；　and　green　pastures；　dotted
with　horses　and　cattle；　reached　away　to　the　denser　woodland。
This　site　appeared　to　be　a　natural　clearing；　for　there　was
no　evidence　of　cut　timber。　　The　scene　was　rather　too　wild　to
be　pastoral；　but　it　was　serene；　tranquil；　giving　the
impression　of　a　remote　community；　prosperous　and　happy；
drifting　along　the　peaceful　tenor　of　sequestered　lives。

Dale　halted　before　a　neat　little　log　cabin　and　a　little
patch　of　garden　bordered　with　sunflowers。　　His　call　was
answered　by　an　old　woman；　gray　and　bent；　but　remarkably
spry；　who　appeared　at　the　door。

〃Why；　land's　sakes；　if　it　ain't　Milt　Dale！〃　she　exclaimed；
in　welcome。

〃Reckon　it's　me；　Mrs。　　Cass；〃　he　replied。　　〃An；　I've　brought
you　a　turkey。〃

〃Milt；　you're　that　good　boy　who　never　forgits　old　Widow
Cass。　。　。　。　　What　a　gobbler！　　First　one　I've　seen　this　fall。
My　man　Tom　used　to　fetch　home　gobblers　like　that。　。　。　。　　An'
mebbe　he'll　come　home　again　sometime。〃

Her　husband；　Tom　Cass；　had　gone　into　the　forest　years　before
and　had　never　returned。　　But　the　old　woman　always　looked　for
him　and　never　gave　up　hope。

〃Men　have　been　lost　in　the　forest　an'　yet　come　back；〃
replied　Dale；　as　he　had　said　to　her　many　a　time。

〃Come　right　in。　　You　air　hungry；　I　know。　　Now；　son；　when　last
did　you　eat　a　fresh　egg　or　a　flapjack？〃

〃You　should　remember；〃　he　answered；　laughing；　as　he　followed
her　into　a　small；　clean　kitchen。

〃Laws…a'…me！　　An'　thet's　months　ago；〃　she　replied；　shaking
her　gray　head。　　〃Milt；　you　should　give　up　that　wild　life　
an'　marry　　an'　have　a　home。〃

〃You　always　tell　me　that。〃

〃Yes；　an'　I'll　see　you　do　it　yet。　。　。　。　　Now　you　set　there；
an'　pretty　soon　I'll　give　you　thet　to　eat　which　'll　make
your　mouth　water。〃

〃What's　the　news；　Auntie？〃　he　asked。

〃Nary　news　in　this　dead　place。　　Why；　nobody's　been　to
Snowdrop　in　two　weeks！　　。　。　。　　Sary　Jones　died；　poor　old　soul
　she's　better　off　　an'　one　of　my　cows　run　away。　　Milt；
she's　wild　when　she　gits　loose　in　the　woods。　　An'　you'll　have
to　track　her；　'cause　nobody　else　can。　　An'　John　Dakker's
heifer　was　killed　by　a　lion；　an'　Lem　Harden's　fast　hoss　
you　know　his　favorite　　was　stole　by　hoss…thieves。　　Lem　is
jest　crazy。　　An'　that　reminds　me；　Milt；　where's　your　big
ranger；　thet　you'd　never　sell　or　lend？〃

〃My　horses　are　up　in　the　woods；　Auntie；　safe；　I　reckon；　from
horse…thieves。〃

〃Well；　that's　a　blessin'。　　We've　had　some　stock　stole　this
summer；　Milt；　an'　no　mistake。〃

Thus；　while　preparing　a　meal　for　Dale；　the　old　woman　went　on
recounting　all　that　had　happened　in　the　little　village　since
his　last　visit。　　Dale　enjoyed　her　gossip　and　quaint
philosophy；　and　it　was　exceedingly　good　to　sit　at　her　table。
In　his　opinion；　nowhere　else　could　there　have　been　such
butter　and　cream；　such　ham　and　eggs。　　Besides；　she　always　had
apple　pie；　it　seemed；　at　any　time　he　happened　in；　and　apple
pie　was　one　of　Dale's　few　regrets　while　up　in　the　lonely
forest。

〃How's　old　Al　Auchincloss？〃　presently　inquired　Dale。

〃Poorly　　poorly；〃　sighed　Mrs。　　Cass。　　〃But　he　tramps　an'
rides　around　same　as　ever。　　Al's　not　long　for　this　world。　。　。
。　　An'；　Milt；　that　reminds　me　　there's　the　biggest　news　you
ever　heard。〃

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Dale；　to　encourage　the　excited
old　woman。

〃Al　has　sent　back　to　Saint　Joe　for　his　niece；　Helen　Rayner。
She's　to　inherit　all　his　property。　　We've　heard　much　of　her
　a　purty　lass；　they　say。　。　。　。　　Now；　Milt　Dale；　here's　your
chance。　　Stay　out　of　the　woods　an'　go　to　work。　。　。　。　　You　can
marry　that　girl！〃

〃No　chance　for　me；　Auntie；〃　replied　Dale；　smiling。

The　old　woman　snorted。　　〃Much　you　know！　　Any　girl　would　have
you；　Milt　Dale；　if　you'd　only　throw　a　kerchief。〃

〃Me！　　。　。　。　　An'　why；　Auntie？〃　he　queried；　half　amused；　half
thoughtful。　　When　he　got　back　to　civilization　he　always　had
to　adjust　his　thoughts　to　the　ideas　of　people。

〃Why？　　I　declare；　Milt；　you　live　so　in　the　woods　you're　like
a　boy　of　ten　　an'　then　sometimes　as　old　as　the　hills。　。　。
。There's　no　young　ma