the man of the forest-第52节

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when　he　was　asleep；　there　seemed　always　in　the　back　of　his
mind　a　growing　consciousness　that　soon　he　would　emerge　from
this　trial；　a　changed　man；　ready　to　sacrifice　his　chosen
lot；　to　give　up　his　lonely　life　of　selfish　indulgence　in
lazy　affinity　with　nature；　and　to　go　wherever　his　strong
hands　might　perform　some　real　service　to　people。
Nevertheless；　he　wanted　to　linger　in　this　mountain　fastness
until　his　ordeal　was　over　　until　he　could　meet　her；　and
the　world；　knowing　himself　more　of　a　man　than　ever　before。

One　bright　morning；　while　he　was　at　his　camp…fire；　the　tame
cougar　gave　a　low；　growling　warning。　　Dale　was　startled。　　Tom
did　not　act　like　that　because　of　a　prowling　grizzly　or　a
straying　stag。　　Presently　Dale　espied　a　horseman　riding
slowly　out　of　the　straggling　spruces。　　And　with　that　sight
Dale's　heart　gave　a　leap；　recalling　to　him　a　divination　of
his　future　relation　to　his　kind。　　Never　had　he　been　so　glad
to　see　a　man！

This　visitor　resembled　one　of　the　Beemans；　judging　from　the
way　he　sat　his　horse；　and　presently　Dale　recognized　him　to
be　John。

At　this　juncture　the　jaded　horse　was　spurred　into　a　trot；
soon　reaching　the　pines　and　the　camp。

〃Howdy；　there；　you　ole　b'ar…hunter！〃　called　John；　waving　his
hand。

For　all　his　hearty　greeting　his　appearance　checked　a　like
response　from　Dale。　　The　horse　was　mud　to　his　flanks　and　John
was　mud　to　his　knees；　wet；　bedraggled；　worn；　and　white。　　This
hue　of　his　face　meant　more　than　fatigue。

〃Howdy；　John？〃　replied　Dale。

They　shook　hands。　　John　wearily　swung　his　leg　over　the
pommel；　but　did　not　at　once　dismount。　　His　clear　gray　eyes
were　wonderingly　riveted　upon　the　hunter。

〃Milt　　what　'n　hell's　wrong？〃　he　queried。

〃Why？〃

〃Bust　me　if　you　ain't　changed　so　I　hardly　knowed　you。　　You've
been　sick　　all　alone　here！〃

〃Do　I　look　sick？〃

〃Wal；　I　should　smile。　　Thin　an'　pale　an'　down　in　the　mouth！
Milt；　what　ails　you？〃

〃I've　gone　to　seed。〃

〃You've　gone　off　your　head；　jest　as　Roy　said；　livin'　alone
here。　　You　overdid　it；　Milt。　　An'　you　look　sick。〃

〃John；　my　sickness　is　here；〃　replied　Dale；　soberly；　as　he
laid　a　hand　on　his　heart。

〃Lung　trouble！〃　ejaculated　John。　　〃With　thet　chest；　an'　up　in
this　air？　　。　。　。　　Get　out！〃

〃No　　not　lung　trouble；〃　said　Dale。

〃I　savvy。　　Had　a　hunch　from　Roy；　anyhow。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　hunch？〃

〃Easy　now；　Dale；　ole　man。　。　。　。　　Don't　you　reckon　I'm　ridin'
in　on　you　pretty　early？　　Look　at　thet　hoss！〃　John　slid　off
and　waved　a　hand　at　the　drooping　beast；　then　began　to
unsaddle　him。　　〃Wal；　he　done　great。　　We　bogged　some　comin'
over。　　An'　I　climbed　the　pass　at　night　on　the　frozen　snow。〃

〃You're　welcome　as　the　flowers　in　May。　　John；　what　month　is
it？〃

〃By　spades！　　are　you　as　bad　as　thet？　　。　。　。　　Let's　see。　　It's
the　twenty…third　of　March。〃

〃March！　　Well；　I'm　beat。　　I've　lost　my　reckonin'　　an'　a　lot
more；　maybe。〃

〃Thar！〃　declared　John；　slapping　the　mustang。　　〃You　can　jest
hang　up　here　till　my　next　trip。　　Milt；　how　're　your　hosses？〃

〃Wintered　fine。〃

〃Wal；　thet's　good。　　We'll　need　two　big；　strong　hosses　right
off。〃

〃What　for？〃　queried　Dale；　sharply。　　He　dropped　a　stick　of
wood　and　straightened　up　from　the　camp…fire。

〃You're　goin'　to　ride　down　to　Pine　with　me　　thet's　what
for。〃

Familiarly　then　came　back　to　Dale　the　quiet；　intent
suggestiveness　of　the　Beemans　in　moments　foreboding　trial。

At　this　certain　assurance　of　John's；　too　significant　to　be
doubted；　Dale's　though　of　Pine　gave　slow　birth　to　a　strange
sensation；　as　if　he　had　been　dead　and　was　vibrating　back　to
life。

〃Tell　what　you　got　to　tell！〃　he　broke　out。

Quick　as　a　flash　the　Mormon　replied：　〃Roy's　been　shot。　　But
he　won't　die。　　He　sent　for　you。　　Bad　deal's　afoot。　　Beasley
means　to　force　Helen　Rayner　out　an'　steal　her　ranch。〃

A　tremor　ran　all　through　Dale。　　It　seemed　another　painful　yet
thrilling　connection　between　his　past　and　this　vaguely
calling　future。　　His　emotions　had　been　broodings　dreams；
longings。　　This　thing　his　friend　said　had　the　sting　of　real
life。

〃Then　old　Al's　dead？〃　he　asked。

〃Long　ago　　I　reckon　around　the　middle　of　February。　　The
property　went　to　Helen。　　She's　been　doin'　fine。　　An'　many
folks　say　it's　a　pity　she'll　lose　it。〃

〃She　won't　lose　it；〃　declared　Dale。　　How　strange　his　voice
sounded　to　his　own　ears！　　It　was　hoarse　and　unreal；　as　if
from　disuse。

〃Wal；　we…all　have　our　idees。　　I　say　she　will。　　My　father　says
so。　　Carmichael　says　so。〃

〃Who's　he？〃

〃Reckon　you　remember　thet　cow…puncher　who　came　up　with　Roy
an'　Auchincloss　after　the　girls　　last　fall？〃

〃Yes。　　They　called　him　Las　　Las　Vegas。　　I　liked　his　looks。〃

〃Humph！　　You'll　like　him　a　heap　when　you　know　him。　　He's　kept
the　ranch　goin'　for　Miss　Helen　all　along。　　But　the　deal's
comin'　to　a　head。　　Beasley's　got　thick　with　thet　Riggs。　　You
remember　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Wal；　he's　been　hangin'　out　at　Pine　all　winter；　watchin'　for
some　chance　to　get　at　Miss　Helen　or　Bo。　　Everybody's　seen
thet。　　An'　jest　lately　he　chased　Bo　on　hossback　　gave　the
kid　a　nasty　fall。　　Roy　says　Riggs　was　after　Miss　Helen。　　But　I
think　one　or　t'other　of　the　girls　would　do　thet　varmint。
Wal；　thet　sorta　started　goin's…on。　　Carmichael　beat　Riggs　an'
drove　him　out　of　town。　　But　he　come　back。　　Beasley　called　on
Miss　Helen　an'　offered　to　marry　her　so's　not　to　take　the
ranch　from　her；　he　said。〃

Dale　awoke　with　a　thundering　curse。

〃Shore！〃　exclaimed　John。　　〃I'd　say　the　same　　only　I'm
religious。　　Don't　thet　beady…eyed　greaser's　gall　make　you
want　to　spit　all　over　yourself？　　My　Gawd！　　but　Roy　was　mad！
Roy's　powerful　fond　of　Miss　Helen　an'　Bo。　。　。　。　　Wal；　then；
Roy；　first　chance　he　got；　braced　Beasley　an'　give　him　some
straight　talk。　　Beasley　was　foamin'　at　the　mouth；　Roy　said。
It　was　then　Riggs　shot　Roy。　　Shot　him　from　behind　Beasley
when　Roy　wasn't　lookin'！　　An'　Riggs　brags　of　bein'　a
gun…fighter。　　Mebbe　thet　wasn't　a　bad　shot　for　him！〃

〃I　reckon；〃　replied　Dale；　as　he　swallowed　hard。　　〃Now；　just
what　was　Roy's　message　to　me？〃

〃Wal；　I　can't　remember　all　Roy　said；〃　answered　John；
dubiously。　　〃But　Roy　shore　was　excited　an'　dead　in　earnest。
He　says：　'Tell　Milt　what's　happened。　　Tell　him　Helen　Rayner's
in　more　danger　than　she　was　last　fall。　　Tell　him　I've　seen
her　look　away　acrost　the　mountains　toward　Paradise　Park　with
her　heart　in　her　eyes。　　Tell　him　she　needs　him　most　of　all！'〃

Dale　shook　all　over　as　with　an　attack　of　ague。　　He　was　seized
by　a　whirlwind　of　passionate；　terrible　sweetness　of
sensation；　when　what　he　wildly　wanted　was　to　curse　Roy　and
John　for　their　simple…minded　conclusions。

〃Roy's　　crazy！〃　panted　Dale。

〃Wal；　now；　Milt　　thet's　downright　surprisin'　of　you。　　Roy's
the　level…headest　of　any　fellars　I　know。〃

〃Man！　　if　he　MADE　me　believe　him　　an'　it　turned　out　untrue
　I'd　　I'd　kill　him；〃　replied　Dale。

〃Untrue！　　Do　you　think　Roy　Beeman　would　lie？〃

〃But；　John　　you　fellows　can't　see　my　case。　　Nell　Rayner
wants　me　　needs　me！　　。　。　。　　It　can't　be　true！〃

〃Wal；　my　love…sick　pard　　it　jest　IS　true！〃　exclaimed　John；
feelingly。　　〃Thet's　the　hell　of　life　　never　knowin'。　　But
here　it's　joy　for　you。　　You　can　believe　Roy　Beeman　about
women　as　quick　as　you'd　trust　him　to　track　your　lost　hoss。
Roy's　married　three　girls。　　I　reckon　he'll　marry　some　more。
Roy's　only　twenty…eight　an'　he　has　two　big　farms。　　He　said
he'd　seen　Nell　Rayner's　heart　in　her　eyes；　lookin'　for　you
　an'　you　can　jest　bet　your　life　thet's　true。　　An'　he　said
it　because　he　means　you　to　rustle　down　there　an'　fight　for
thet　girl。〃

〃I'll　　go；〃　said　Dale；　in　a　shaky　whisper；　as　he　sat　down
on　a　pine　log　near　the　fire。　　He　stared　unseeingly　at　the
bluebells　in　the　grass　by　his　feet　while　storm　after　storm
possessed　his　breast。　　They　were　fierce　and　brief　because
driven　by　his　will。　　In　those　few　moments　of　contending
strife　Dale　was　immeasurably　removed　from　that　dark　gulf　of
self　which　had　made　his　winter　a　nightmare。　　And　when　he
stood　erect　again　it　seemed　that　the　old　earth　had　a
stirring；　electrifying　impetus　for　his　feet。　　Something
black；　bitter；　melancholy；　and　morbid；　always　unreal　to　him；
had　passed　away　forever。　　The　great　moment　had　been　forced
upon　him。　　He　did　not　believe　Roy　Beeman's　preposterous　hint
regarding　Helen；　but　he　had　gone　back　or　soared　onward；　as
if　by　magic；　to　his　old　true　self。


Mounted　on　Dale's　strongest　horses；　with　only　a　light　pack；
an　ax；　and　their　weapons；　the　two　men　had　reached　the
snow…line　on　the　pass　by　noon　that　day。　　Tom；　the　tame
cougar；　trotted　along　in　the　rear。

The　crust　of　the　snow；　now　half　thawed　by　the　sun；　would　not
hold　the　weight　of　a　horse；　though　it　upheld　the　men　on
foot。　　They　walked；　leading　the　horses。　　Travel　was　not
difficult　until　the　snow　began　to　deepen；　then　progress
slackened　materially。　　John　had　not　been　able　to　pick　out　the
line　of　the　trail；　so　Dale　did　not　follow　his　tracks。　　An　old
blaze　on　the　trees　enabled　Dale　to　keep　fairly　well　to　the
trail；　and　at　length　the　height　of　the　pass　was　reached；
where　the　snow　was　deep。　　Here　the　horses　labored；　plowing
through　foot　by　foot。　　When；　finally；　they　sank　to　their
flanks；　they　had　to　be　dragged　and　goaded　on；　and　helped　by
thick　flat　bunches　of　spruce　boughs　plac