the man of the forest-第30节

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tongue　out　and　sightless　eyes　and　bloody　hair。

〃Girls；　that　lion　heard　us　an'　left。　　He's　not　far；〃　said
Dale；　as　he　stooped　to　lift　the　head　of　the　deer。　　〃Warm！
Neck　broken。　　See　the　lion's　teeth　an'　claw　marks。　。　。　。　　It's
a　doe。　　Look　here。　　Don't　be　squeamish；　girls。　　This　is　only　an
hourly　incident　of　everyday　life　in　the　forest。　　See　where
the　lion　has　rolled　the　skin　down　as　neat　as　I　could　do　it；
an'　he'd　just　begun　to　bite　in　there　when　he　heard　us。〃

〃What　murderous　work；　The　sight　sickens　me！〃　exclaimed
Helen。

〃It　is　nature；〃　said　Dale；　simply。

〃Let's　kill　the　lion；〃　added　Bo。

For　answer　Dale　took　a　quick　turn　at　their　saddle…girths；
and　then；　mounting；　he　called　to　the　hound。　　〃Hunt　him　up；
Pedro。〃

Like　a　shot　the　hound　was　off。

〃Ride　in　my　tracks　an'　keep　close　to　me；〃　called　Dale；　as　he
wheeled　his　horse。

〃We're　off！〃　squealed　Bo；　in　wild　delight；　and　she　made　her
mount　plunge。

Helen　urged　her　horse　after　them　and　they　broke　across　a
comer　of　the　swale　to　the　woods。　　Pedro　was　running　straight；
with　his　nose　high。　　He　let　out　one　short　bark。　　He　headed
into　the　woods；　with　Dale　not　far　behind。　　Helen　was　on　one
of　Dale's　best　horses；　but　that　fact　scarcely　manifested
itself；　because　the　others　began　to　increase　their　lead。
They　entered　the　woods。　　It　was　open；　and　fairly　good　going。
Bo's　horse　ran　as　fast　in　the　woods　as　he　did　in　the　open。
That　frightened　Helen　and　she　yelled　to　Bo　to　hold　him　in。
She　yelled　to　deaf　ears。　　That　was　Bo's　great　risk　　she　did
not　intend　to　be　careful。　　Suddenly　the　forest　rang　with
Dale's　encouraging　yell；　meant　to　aid　the　girls　in　following
him。　　Helen's　horse　caught　the　spirit　of　the　chase。　　He　gained
somewhat　on　Bo；　hurdling　logs；　sometimes　two　at　once。
Helen's　blood　leaped　with　a　strange　excitement；　utterly
unfamiliar　and　as　utterly　resistless。　　Yet　her　natural　fear；
and　the　intelligence　that　reckoned　with　the　foolish　risk　of
this　ride；　shared　alike　in　her　sum　of　sensations。　　She　tried
to　remember　Dale's　caution　about　dodging　branches　and　snags；
and　sliding　her　knees　back　to　avoid　knocks　from　trees。　　She
barely　missed　some　frightful　reaching　branches。　　She　received
a　hard　knock；　then　another；　that　unseated　her；　but
frantically　she　held　on　and　slid　back；　and　at　the　end　of　a
long　run　through　comparatively　open　forest　she　got　a
stinging　blow　in　the　face　from　a　far…spreading　branch　of
pine。　　Bo　missed；　by　what　seemed　only　an　inch；　a　solid　snag
that　would　have　broken　her　in　two。　　Both　Pedro　and　Dale　got
out　of　Helen's　sight。　　Then　Helen；　as　she　began　to　lose　Bo；
felt　that　she　would　rather　run　greater　risks　than　be　left
behind　to　get　lost　in　the　forest；　and　she　urged　her　horse。
Dale's　yell　pealed　back。　　Then　it　seemed　even　more　thrilling
to　follow　by　sound　than　by　sight。　　Wind　and　brush　tore　at
her。　　The　air　was　heavily　pungent　with　odor　of　pine。　　Helen
heard　a　wild；　full　bay　of　the　hound；　ringing　back；　full　of
savage　eagerness；　and　she　believed　Pedro　had　roused　out　the
lion　from　some　covert。　　It　lent　more　stir　to　her　blood　and　it
surely　urged　her　horse　on　faster。

Then　the　swift　pace　slackened。　　A　windfall　of　timber　delayed
Helen。　　She　caught　a　glimpse　of　Dale　far　ahead；　climbing　a
slope。　　The　forest　seemed　full　of　his　ringing　yell。　　Helen
strangely　wished　for　level　ground　and　the　former　swift
motion。　　Next　she　saw　Bo　working　down　to　the　right；　and
Dale's　yell　now　came　from　that　direction。　　Helen　followed；
got　out　of　the　timber；　and　made　better　time　on　a　gradual
slope　down　to　another　park。

When　she　reached　the　open　she　saw　Bo　almost　across　this
narrow　open　ground。　　Here　Helen　did　not　need　to　urge　her
mount。　　He　snorted　and　plunged　at　the　level　and　he　got　to
going　so　fast　that　Helen　would　have　screamed　aloud　in
mingled　fear　and　delight　if　she　had　not　been　breathless。

Her　horse　had　the　bad　luck　to　cross　soft　ground。　　He　went　to
his　knees　and　Helen　sailed　out　of　the　saddle　over　his　head。
Soft　willows　and　wet　grass　broke　her　fall。　　She　was　surprised
to　find　herself　unhurt。　　Up　she　bounded　and　certainly　did　not
know　this　new　Helen　Rayner。　　Her　horse　was　coming；　and　he　had
patience　with　her；　but　he　wanted　to　hurry。　　Helen　made　the
quickest　mount　of　her　experience　and　somehow　felt　a　pride　in
it。　　She　would　tell　Bo　that。　　But　just　then　Bo　flashed　into
the　woods　out　of　sight。　　Helen　fairly　charged　into　that　green
foliage；　breaking　brush　and　branches。　　She　broke　through　into
open　forest。　　Bo　was　inside；　riding　down　an　aisle　between
pines　and　spruces。　　At　that　juncture　Helen　heard　Dale's
melodious　yell　near　at　hand。　　Coming　into　still　more　open
forest；　with　rocks　here　and　there；　she　saw　Dale　dismounted
under　a　pine；　and　Pedro　standing　with　fore　paws　upon　the
tree…trunk；　and　then　high　up　on　a　branch　a　huge　tawny
colored　lion；　just　like　Tom。

Bo's　horse　slowed　up　and　showed　fear；　but　he　kept　on　as　far
as　Dale's　horse。　　But　Helen's　refused　to　go　any　nearer。　　She
had　difficulty　in　halting　him。　　Presently　she　dismounted　and；
throwing　her　bridle　over　a　stump；　she　ran　on；　panting　and
fearful；　yet　tingling　all　over；　up　to　her　sister　and　Dale。

〃Nell；　you　did　pretty　good　for　a　tenderfoot；〃　was　Bo's
greeting。

〃It　was　a　fine　chase；〃　said　Dale。　　〃You　both　rode　well。　　I
wish　you　could　have　seen　the　lion　on　the　ground。　　He　bounded
　great　long　bounds　with　his　tail　up　in　the　air　　very
funny。　　An'　Pedro　almost　caught　up　with　him。　　That　scared　me；
because　he　would　have　killed　the　hound。　　Pedro　was　close　to
him　when　he　treed。　　An'　there　he　is　　the　yellow
deer…killer。　　He's　a　male　an'　full　grown。〃

With　that　Dale　pulled　his　rifle　from　its　saddle…sheath　and
looked　expectantly　at　Bo。　　But　she　was　gazing　with　great
interest　and　admiration　up　at　the　lion。

〃Isn't　he　just　beautiful？〃　she　burst　out。　　〃Oh；　look　at　him
spit！　　Just　like　a　cat！　　Dale；　he　looks　afraid　he　might　fall
off。〃

〃He　sure　does。　　Lions　are　never　sure　of　their　balance　in　a
tree。　　But　I　never　saw　one　make　a　misstep。　　He　knows　he
doesn't　belong　there。〃

To　Helen　the　lion　looked　splendid　perched　up　there。　　He　was
long　and　round　and　graceful　and　tawny。　　His　tongue　hung　out
and　his　plump　sides　heaved；　showing　what　a　quick；　hard　run
he　had　been　driven　to。　　What　struck　Helen　most　forcibly　about
him　was　something　in　his　face　as　he　looked　down　at　the
hound。　　He　was　scared。　　He　realized　his　peril。　　It　was　not
possible　for　Helen　to　watch　him　killed；　yet　she　could　not
bring　herself　to　beg　Bo　not　to　shoot。　　Helen　confessed　she
was　a　tenderfoot。

〃Get　down；　Bo；　an'　let's　see　how　good　a　shot　you　are；　said
Dale。　　Bo　slowly　withdrew　her　fascinated　gaze　from　the　lion
and　looked　with　a　rueful　smile　at　Dale。

〃I've　changed　my　mind。　　I　said　I　would　kill　him；　but　now　I
can't。　　He　looks　so　　so　different　from　what　I'd　imagined。〃

Dale's　answer　was　a　rare　smile　of　understanding　and　approval
that　warmed　Helen's　heart　toward　him。　　All　the　same；　he　was
amused。　　Sheathing　the　gun；　he　mounted　his　horse。

〃Come　on；　Pedro；〃　he　called。　　〃Come；　I　tell　you；〃　he　added；
sharply；　〃Well；　girls；　we　treed　him；　anyhow；　an；　it　was　fun。
Now　we'll　ride　back　to　the　deer　he　killed　an'　pack　a　haunch
to　camp　for　our　own　use。〃

〃Will　the　lion　go　back　to　his　　his　kill；　I　think　you
called　it？〃　asked　Bo。

〃I've　chased　one　away　from　his　kill　half　a　dozen　times。
Lions　are　not　plentiful　here　an'　they　don't　get　overfed。　　I
reckon　the　balance　is　pretty　even。〃

This　last　remark　made　Helen　inquisitive。　　And　as　they　slowly
rode　on　the　back…trail　Dale　talked。

〃You　girls；　bein'　tender…hearted　an'　not　knowin'　the　life　of
the　forest；　what's　good　an'　what's　bad；　think　it　was　a　pity
the　poor　deer　was　killed　by　a　murderous　lion。　　But　you're
wrong。　　As　I　told　you；　the　lion　is　absolutely　necessary　to
the　health　an'　joy　of　wild　life　　or　deer's　wild　life；　so
to　speak。　　When　deer　were　created　or　came　into　existence；
then　the　lion　must　have　come；　too。　　They　can't　live　without
each　other。　　Wolves；　now；　are　not　particularly　deer…killers。
They　live　off　elk　an'　anythin'　they　can　catch。　　So　will
lions；　for　that　matter。　　But　I　mean　lions　follow　the　deer　to
an'　fro　from　winter　to　summer　feedin'…grounds。　　Where　there's
no　deer　you　will　find　no　lions。　　Well；　now；　if　left　alone
deer　would　multiply　very　fast。　　In　a　few　years　there　would　be
hundreds　where　now　there's　only　one。　　An'　in　time；　as　the
generations　passed；　they'd　lose　the　fear；　the　alertness；　the
speed　an'　strength；　the　eternal　vigilance　that　is　love　of
life　　they'd　lose　that　an'　begin　to　deteriorate；　an'
disease　would　carry　them　off。　　I　saw　one　season　of
black…tongue　among　deer。　　It　killed　them　off；　an'　I　believe
that　is　one　of　the　diseases　of　over…production。　　The　lions；
now；　are　forever　on　the　trail　of　the　deer。　　They　have
learned。　　Wariness　is　an　instinct　born　in　the　fawn。　　It　makes
him　keen；　quick；　active；　fearful；　an'　so　he　grows　up　strong
an'　healthy　to　become　the　smooth；　sleek；　beautiful；
soft…eyed；　an'　wild…lookin'　deer　you　girls　love　to　watch。
But　if　it　wasn't　for　the　lions；　the　deer　would　not　thrive。
Only　the　strongest　an'　swiftest　survive。　　That　is　the　meanin'
of　nature。　　There　is　always　a　perfect　balance　kept　by　nature。
It　may　vary　in　different　years；　but　on　the　whole；　i