the man of the forest-第39节

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〃Ranger　is　mine。〃

Dale　smoothed　out　the　blanket　and；　folding　it；　he　threw　it
over　the　horse；　and　then　with　one　powerful　swing　he　set　the
saddle　in　place。

〃Thank　you　very　much　for　him；〃　said　Helen；　softly。

〃You're　welcome；　an'　I'm　sure　glad；〃　responded　Dale；　and
then；　after　a　few　deft；　strong　pulls　at　the　straps；　he
continued。　　〃There；　he's　ready　for　you。〃

With　that　he　laid　an　arm　over　the　saddle；　and　faced　Helen　as
she　stood　patting　and　smoothing　Ranger。　　Helen；　strong　and
calm　now；　in　feminine　possession　of　her　secret　and　his；　as
well　as　her　composure；　looked　frankly　and　steadily　at　Dale。
He　seemed　composed；　too；　yet　the　bronze　of　his　fine　face　was
a　trifle　pale。

〃But　I　can't　thank　you　　I'll　never　be　able　to　repay　you　
for　your　service　to　me　and　my　sister；〃　said　Helen。

〃I　reckon　you　needn't　try；〃　Dale　returned。　　〃An'　my　service；
as　you　call　it；　has　been　good　for　me。〃

〃Are　you　going　down　to　Pine　with　us？〃

〃No。〃

〃But　you　will　come　soon？〃

〃Not　very　soon；　I　reckon；〃　he　replied；　and　averted　his　gaze。

〃When？〃

〃Hardly　before　spring。〃

〃Spring？　　。　。　。　　That　is　a　long　time。　　Won't　you　come　to　see　me
sooner　than　that？〃

〃If　I　can　get　down　to　Pine。〃

〃You're　the　first　friend　I've　made　in　the　West；〃　said　Helen；
earnestly。

〃You'll　make　many　more　　an'　I　reckon　soon　forget　him　you
called　the　man　of　the　forest。〃

〃I　never　forget　any　of　my　friends。　　And　you've　been　the　
the　biggest　friend　I　ever　had。〃

〃I'll　be　proud　to　remember。〃

〃But　will　you　remember　　will　you　promise　to　come　to　Pine？〃

〃I　reckon。〃

〃Thank　you。　　All's　well；　then。　。　。　。　　My　friend；　goodby。〃

〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　clasping　her　hand。　　His　glance　was　clear；
warm；　beautiful；　yet　it　was　sad。

Auchincloss's　hearty　voice　broke　the　spell。　　Then　Helen　saw
that　the　others　were　mounted。　　Bo　had　ridden　up　close；　her
face　was　earnest　and　happy　and　grieved　all　at　once；　as　she
bade　good…by　to　Dale。　　The　pack…burros　were　hobbling　along
toward　the　green　slope。　　Helen　was　the　last　to　mount；　but　Roy
was　the　last　to　leave　the　hunter。　　Pedro　came　reluctantly。

It　was　a　merry；　singing　train　which　climbed　that　brown
odorous　trail；　under　the　dark　spruces。　　Helen　assuredly　was
happy；　yet　a　pang　abided　in　her　breast。

She　remembered　that　half…way　up　the　slope　there　was　a　turn
in　the　trail　where　it　came　out　upon　an　open　bluff。　　The　time
seemed　long；　but　at　last　she　got　there。　　And　she　checked
Ranger　so　as　to　have　a　moment's　gaze　down　into　the　park。

It　yawned　there；　a　dark…green　and　bright…gold　gulf；　asleep
under　a　westering　sun；　exquisite；　wild；　lonesome。　　Then　she
saw　Dale　standing　in　the　open　space　between　the　pines　and
the　spruces。　　He　waved　to　her。　　And　she　returned　the　salute。

Roy　caught　up　with　her　then　and　halted　his　horse。　　He　waved
his　sombrero　to　Dale　and　let　out　a　piercing　yell　that　awoke
the　sleeping　echoes；　splitting　strangely　from　cliff　to　cliff
。

〃Shore　Milt　never　knowed　what　it　was　to　be　lonesome；〃　said
Roy；　as　if　thinking　aloud。　　〃But　he'll　know　now。〃

Ranger　stepped　out　of　his　own　accord　and；　turning　off　the
ledge；　entered　the　spruce　forest。　　Helen　lost　sight　of
Paradise　Park。　　For　hours　then　she　rode　along　a　shady；
fragrant　trail；　seeing　the　beauty　of　color　and　wildness；
hearing　the　murmur　and　rush　and　roar　of　water；　but　all　the
while　her　mind　revolved　the　sweet　and　momentous　realization
which　had　thrilled　her　　that　the　hunter；　this　strange　man
of　the　forest；　so　deeply　versed　in　nature　and　so　unfamiliar
with　emotion；　aloof　and　simple　and　strong　like　the　elements
which　had　developed　him；　had　fallen　in　love　with　her　and　did
not　know　it。



CHAPTER　XV

Dale　stood　with　face　and　arm　upraised；　and　he　watched　Helen
ride　off　the　ledge　to　disappear　in　the　forest。　　That　vast
spruce　slope　seemed　to　have　swallowed　her。　　She　was　gone！
Slowly　Dale　lowered　his　arm　with　gesture　expressive　of　a
strange　finality；　an　eloquent　despair；　of　which　he　was
unconscious。

He　turned　to　the　park；　to　his　camp；　and　the　many　duties　of　a
hunter。　　The　park　did　not　seem　the　same；　nor　his　home；　nor
his　work。

〃I　reckon　this　feelin's　natural；〃　he　soliloquized；
resignedly；　〃but　it's　sure　queer　for　me。　　That's　what　comes
of　makin'　friends。　　Nell　an'　Bo；　now；　they　made　a　difference；
an'　a　difference　I　never　knew　before。〃

He　calculated　that　this　difference　had　been　simply　one　of
responsibility；　and　then　the　charm　and　liveliness　of　the
companionship　of　girls；　and　finally　friendship。　　These　would
pass　now　that　the　causes　were　removed。

Before　he　had　worked　an　hour　around　camp　he　realized　a
change　had　come；　but　it　was　not　the　one　anticipated。　　Always
before　he　had　put　his　mind　on　his　tasks；　whatever　they　might
be；　now　he　worked　while　his　thoughts　were　strangely
involved。

The　little　bear　cub　whined　at　his　heels；　the　tame　deer
seemed　to　regard　him　with　deep；　questioning　eyes；　the　big
cougar　padded　softly　here　and　there　as　if　searching　for
something。

〃You　all　miss　them　　now　　I　reckon；〃　said　Dale。　　〃Well；
they're　gone　an'　you'll　have　to　get　along　with　me。〃

Some　vague　approach　to　irritation　with　his　pets　surprised
him。　　Presently　he　grew　both　irritated　and　surprised　with
himself　　a　state　of　mind　totally　unfamiliar。　　Several
times；　as　old　habit　brought　momentary　abstraction；　he　found
himself　suddenly　looking　around　for　Helen　and　Bo。　　And　each
time　the　shock　grew　stronger。　　They　were　gone；　but　their
presence　lingered。　　After　his　camp　chores　were　completed　he
went　over　to　pull　down　the　lean…to　which　the　girls　had
utilized　as　a　tent。　　The　spruce　boughs　had　dried　out　brown
and　sear；　the　wind　had　blown　the　roof　awry；　the　sides　were
leaning　in。　　As　there　was　now　no　further　use　for　this　little
habitation；　he　might　better　pull　it　down。　　Dale　did　not
acknowledge　that　his　gaze　had　involuntarily　wandered　toward
it　many　times。　　Therefore　he　strode　over　with　the　intention
of　destroying　it。

For　the　first　time　since　Roy　and　he　had　built　the　lean…to　he
stepped　inside。　　Nothing　was　more　certain　than　the　fact　that
he　experienced　a　strange　sensation；　perfectly
incomprehensible　to　him。　　The　blankets　lay　there　on　the
spruce　boughs；　disarranged　and　thrown　back　by　hurried　hands；
yet　still　holding　something　of　round　folds　where　the　slender
forms　had　nestled。　　A　black　scarf　often　worn　by　Bo　lay
covering　the　pillow　of　pine…needles；　a　red　ribbon　that　Helen
had　worn　on　her　hair　hung　from　a　twig。　　These　articles　were
all　that　had　been　forgotten。　　Dale　gazed　at　them　attentively；
then　at　the　blankets；　and　all　around　the　fragrant　little
shelter；　and　he　stepped　outside　with　an　uncomfortable
knowledge　that　he　could　not　destroy　the　place　where　Helen
and　Bo　had　spent　so　many　hours。

Whereupon；　in　studious　mood；　Dale　took　up　his　rifle　and
strode　out　to　hunt。　　His　winter　supply　of　venison　had　not　yet
been　laid　in。　　Action　suited　his　mood；　he　climbed　far　and
passed　by　many　a　watching　buck　to　slay　which　seemed　murder；
at　last　he　jumped　one　that　was　wild　and　bounded　away。　　This
he　shot；　and　set　himself　a　Herculean　task　in　packing　the
whole　carcass　back　to　camp。　　Burdened　thus；　be　staggered
under　the　trees；　sweating　freely；　many　times　laboring　for
breath；　aching　with　toil；　until　at　last　he　had　reached　camp。
There　he　slid　the　deer　carcass　off　his　shoulders；　and；
standing　over　it；　he　gazed　down　while　his　breast　labored。　　It
was　one　of　the　finest　young　bucks　he　had　ever　seen。　　But
neither　in　stalking　it；　nor　making　a　wonderful　shot；　nor　in
packing　home　a　weight　that　would　have　burdened　two　men；　nor
in　gazing　down　at　his　beautiful　quarry；　did　Dale　experience
any　of　the　old　joy　of　the　hunter。

〃I'm　a　little　off　my　feed；〃　he　mused；　as　he　wiped　sweat　from
his　heated　face。　　〃Maybe　a　little　dotty；　as　I　called　Al。　　But
that'll　pass。〃

Whatever　his　state；　it　did　not　pass。　　As　of　old；　after　a　long
day's　hunt；　he　reclined　beside　the　camp…fire　and　watched　the
golden　sunset　glows　change　on　the　ramparts；　as　of　old　he
laid　a　hand　on　the　soft；　furry　head　of　the　pet　cougar；　as　of
old　he　watched　the　gold　change　to　red　and　then　to　dark；　and
twilight　fall　like　a　blanket；　as　of　old　he　listened　to　the
dreamy；　lulling　murmur　of　the　water　fall。　　The　old　familiar
beauty；　wildness；　silence；　and　loneliness　were　there；　but
the　old　content　seemed　strangely　gone。

Soberly　he　confessed　then　that　he　missed　the　happy　company
of　the　girls。　　He　did　not　distinguish　Helen　from　Bo　in　his
slow　introspection。　　When　he　sought　his　bed　he　did　not　at
once　fall　to　sleep。　　Always；　after　a　few　moments　of
wakefulness；　while　the　silence　settled　down　or　the　wind
moaned　through　the　pines；　he　had　fallen　asleep。　　This　night
he　found　different。　　Though　he　was　tired；　sleep　would　not
soon　come。　　The　wilderness；　the　mountains；　the　park；　the　camp
　all　seemed　to　have　lost　something。　　Even　the　darkness
seemed　empty。　　And　when　at　length　Dale　fell　asleep　it　was　to
be　troubled　by　restless　dreams。

Up　with　the　keen…edged；　steely…bright　dawn；　he　went　at　the
his　tasks　with　the　springy　stride　of　the　deer…stalker。

At　the　end　of　that　strenuous　day；　which　was　singularly　full
of　the　old　excitement　and　action　and　danger；　and　of　new
observations；　he　was　bound　to　confess　that　no　longer　did　the
chase　suffice　for　him。