the man of the forest-第74节

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aspens　and　lacy　waterfall　of　foam　and　dark　outcroppings　of
rock…these　colors　and　forms　greeted　her　gaze　with　all　the
old　enchantment。　　Wildness；　beauty；　and　loneliness　were
there；　the　same　as　ever；　immutable；　like　the　spirit　of　those
heights。

Helen　would　fain　have　lingered　longer；　but　the　others
called；　and　Ranger　impatiently　snorted　his　sense　of　the
grass　and　water　far　below。　　And　she　knew　that　when　she
climbed　there　again　to　the　wide　outlook　she　would　be　another
woman。

〃Nell；　come　on；〃　said　Dale；　as　he　led　on。　　〃It's　better　to
look　up。〃


The　sun　had　just　sunk　behind　the　ragged　fringe　of
mountain…rim　when　those　three　strong　and　efficient　men　of
the　open　had　pitched　camp　and　had　prepared　a　bountiful
supper。　　Then　Roy　Beeman　took　out　the　little　worn　Bible　which
Helen　had　given　him　to　use　when　he　married　Bo；　and　as　he
opened　it　a　light　changed　his　dark　face。

〃Come；　Helen　an'　Dale；〃　he　said。

They　arose　to　stand　before　him。　　And　he　married　them　there
under　the　great；　stately　pines；　with　the　fragrant　blue　smoke
curling　upward；　and　the　wind　singing　through　the　branches；
while　the　waterfall　murmured　its　low；　soft；　dreamy　music；
and　from　the　dark　slope　came　the　wild；　lonely　cry　of　a　wolf；
full　of　the　hunger　for　life　and　a　mate。

〃Let　us　pray；〃　said　Roy；　as　he　closed　the　Bible；　and　knelt
with　them。

〃There　is　only　one　God；　an'　Him　I　beseech　in　my　humble
office　for　the　woman　an'　man　I　have　just　wedded　in　holy
bonds。　　Bless　them　an'　watch　them　an'　keep　them　through　all
the　comin'　years。　　Bless　the　sons　of　this　strong　man　of　the
woods　an'　make　them　like　him；　with　love　an'　understandin'　of
the　source　from　which　life　comes。　　Bless　the　daughters　of
this　woman　an'　send　with　them　more　of　her　love　an'　soul；
which　must　be　the　softenin'　an'　the　salvation　of　the　hard
West。　　0　Lord；　blaze　the　dim；　dark　trail　for　them　through　the
unknown　forest　of　life！　　0　Lord；　lead　the　way　across　the
naked　range　of　the　future　no　mortal　knows！　　We　ask　in　Thy
name！　　Amen。〃

When　the　preacher　stood　up　again　and　raised　the　couple　from
their　kneeling　posture；　it　seemed　that　a　grave　and　solemn
personage　had　left　him。　　This　young　man　was　again　the
dark…faced；　clear…eyed　Roy；　droll　and　dry；　with　the
enigmatic　smile　on　his　lips。

〃Mrs。　　Dale；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hands；　〃I　wish　you　joy。　。　。
。　　An'　now；　after　this　here；　my　crownin'　service　in　your
behalf　　I　reckon　I'll　claim　a　reward。〃

Then　he　kissed　her。　　Bo　came　next　with　her　warm　and　loving
felicitations；　and　the　cowboy；　with　characteristic　action；
also　made　at　Helen。

〃Nell；　shore　it's　the　only　chance　I'll　ever　have　to　kiss
you；〃　he　drawled。　　〃Because　when　this　heah　big　Indian　once
finds　out　what　kissin'　is　　！〃

Las　Vegas　then　proved　how　swift　and　hearty　he　could　be　upon
occasions。　　All　this　left　Helen　red　and　confused　and
unutterably　happy。　　She　appreciated　Dale's　state。　　His　eyes
reflected　the　precious　treasure　which　manifestly　he　saw；　but
realization　of　ownership　had　not　yet　become　demonstrable。

Then　with　gay　speech　and　happy　laugh　and　silent　look　these
five　partook　of　the　supper。　　When　it　was　finished　Roy　made
known　his　intention　to　leave。　　They　all　protested　and　coaxed；
but　to　no　avail。　　He　only　laughed　and　went　on　saddling　his
horse。

〃Roy；　please　stay；〃　implored　Helen。　　〃The　day's　almost　ended。
You're　tired。〃

〃Nope。　　I'll　never　be　no　third　party　when　there's　only　two。〃

〃But　there　are　four　of　us。〃

〃Didn't　I　just　make　you　an'　Dale　one？　　。　。　。　　An'；　Mrs。　　Dale；
you　forget　I've　been　married　more　'n　once。〃

Helen　found　herself　confronted　by　an　unanswerable　side　of
the　argument。　　Las　Vegas　rolled　on　the　grass　in　his　mirth。
Dale　looked　strange。

〃Roy；　then　that's　why　you're　so　nice；〃　said　Bo；　with　a
little　devil　in　her　eyes。　　〃Do　you　know　I　had　my　mind　made　up
if　Tom　hadn't　come　around　I　was　going　to　make　up　to　you；
Roy。　。　。　。　　I　sure　was。　　What　number　wife　would　I　have　been？〃

It　always　took　Bo　to　turn　the　tables　on　anybody。　　Roy　looked
mightily　embarrassed。　　And　the　laugh　was　on　him。　　He　did　not
face　them　again　until　he　had　mounted。

〃Las　Vegas；　I've　done　my　best　for　you　　hitched　you　to　thet
blue…eyed　girl　the　best　I　know　how；〃　he　declared。　　〃But　I
shore　ain't　guaranteein'　nothin'。　　You'd　better　build　a
corral　for　her。〃

〃Why；　Roy；　you　shore　don't　savvy　the　way　to　break　these　wild
ones；〃　drawled　Las　Vegas。　　〃Bo　will　be　eatin'　out　of　my　hand
in　about　a　week。〃

Bo's　blue　eyes　expressed　an　eloquent　doubt　as　to　this
extraordinary　claim。

〃Good…by；　friends；〃　said　Roy；　and　rode　away　to　disappear　in
the　spruces。

Thereupon　Bo　and　Las　Vegas　forgot　Roy；　and　Dale　and　Helen；
the　camp　chores　to　be　done；　and　everything　else　except
themselves。　　Helen's　first　wifely　duty　was　to　insist　that　she
should　and　could　and　would　help　her　husband　with　the　work　of
cleaning　up　after　the　sumptuous　supper。　　Before　they　had
finished　a　sound　startled　them。　　It　came　from　Roy；　evidently
high　on　the　darkening　slope；　and　was　a　long；　mellow　pealing
halloo；　that　rang　on　the　cool　air；　burst　the　dreamy　silence；
and　rapped　across　from　slope　to　slope　and　cliff　to　cliff；　to
lose　its　power　and　die　away　hauntingly　in　the　distant
recesses。

Dale　shook　his　head　as　if　he　did　not　care　to　attempt　a　reply
to　that　beautiful　call。　　Silence　once　again　enfolded　the
park；　and　twilight　seemed　to　be　born　of　the　air；　drifting
downward。

〃Nell；　do　you　miss　anythin'？〃　asked　Dale。

〃No。　　Nothing　in　all　the　world；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　am　happier
than　I　ever　dared　pray　to　be。〃

〃I　don't　mean　people　or　things。　　I　mean　my　pets。〃

〃Ah！　　I　had　forgotten。　。　。　。　　Milt；　where　are　they？〃

〃Gone　back　to　the　wild；〃　he　said。　　〃They　had　to　live　in　my
absence。　　An'　I've　been　away　long。〃

Just　then　the　brooding　silence；　with　its　soft　murmur　of
falling　water　and　faint　sigh　of　wind　in　the　pines；　was
broken　by　a　piercing　scream；　high；　quivering；　like　that　of　a
woman　in　exquisite　agony。

〃That's　Tom！〃　exclaimed　Dale。

〃Oh　　I　was　so　　so　frightened！〃　whispered　Helen。

Bo　came　running；　with　Las　Vegas　at　her　heels。

〃Milt；　that　was　your　tame　cougar；〃　cried　Bo；　excitedly。　　〃Oh；
I'll　never　forget　him！　　I'll　hear　those　cries　in　my　dreams！〃

〃Yes；　it　was　Tom；〃　said　Dale；　thoughtfully。　　〃But　I　never
heard　him　cry　just　like　that。〃

〃Oh；　call　him　in！〃

Dale　whistled　and　called；　but　Tom　did　not　come。　　Then　the
hunter　stalked　off　in　the　gloom　to　call　from　different
points　under　the　slope。　　After　a　while　be　returned　without
the　cougar。　　And　at　that　moment；　from　far　up　the　dark　ravine；
drifted　down　the　same　wild　cry；　only　changed　by　distance；
strange　and　tragic　in　its　meaning。
〃He　scented　us。　　He　remembers。　　But　he'll　never　come　back；〃
said　Dale。


Helen　felt　stirred　anew　with　the　convictions　of　Dale's　deep
knowledge　of　life　and　nature。　　And　her　imagination　seemed　to
have　wings。　　How　full　and　perfect　her　trust；　her　happiness　in
the　realization　that　her　love　and　her　future；　her　children；
and　perhaps　grandchildren；　would　come　under　the　guidance　of
such　a　man！　　Only　a　little　had　she　begun　to　comprehend　the
secrets　of　good　and　ill　in　their　relation　to　the　laws　of
nature。　　Ages　before　men　had　lived　on　the　earth　there　had
been　the　creatures　of　the　wilderness；　and　the　holes　of　the
rocks；　and　the　nests　of　the　trees；　and　rain；　frost；　heat；
dew；　sunlight　and　night；　storm　and　calm；　the　honey　of　the
wildflower　and　the　instinct　of　the　bee　　all　the　beautiful
and　multiple　forms　of　life　with　their　inscrutable　design。　　To
know　something　of　them　and　to　love　them　was　to　be　close　to
the　kingdom　of　earth　　perhaps　to　the　greater　kingdom　of
heaven。　　For　whatever　breathed　and　moved　was　a　part　of　that
creation。　　The　coo　of　the　dove；　the　lichen　on　the　mossy　rock；
the　mourn　of　a　hunting　wolf；　and　the　murmur　of　the
waterfall；　the　ever…green　and　growing　tips　of　the　spruces；
and　the　thunderbolts　along　the　battlements　of　the　heights　
these　one　and　all　must　be　actuated　by　the　great　spirit　
that　incalculable　thing　in　the　universe　which　had　produced
man　and　soul。

And　there　in　the　starlight；　under　the　wide…gnarled　pines；
sighing　low　with　the　wind；　Helen　sat　with　Dale　on　the　old
stone　that　an　avalanche　of　a　million　years　past　had　flung
from　the　rampart　above　to　serve　as　camp…table　and　bench　for
lovers　in　the　wilderness；　the　sweet　scent　of　spruce　mingled
with　the　fragrance　of　wood…smoke　blown　in　their　faces。　　How
white　the　stars；　and　calm　and　true！　　How　they　blazed　their
single　task！　　A　coyote　yelped　off　on　the　south　slope；　dark
now　as　midnight。　　A　bit　of　weathered　rock　rolled　and　tapped
from　shelf　to　shelf。　　And　the　wind　moaned。　　Helen　felt　all　the
sadness　and　mystery　and　nobility　of　this　lonely　fastness；
and　full　on　her　heart　rested　the　supreme　consciousness　that
all　would　some　day　be　well　with　the　troubled　world　beyond。

〃Nell；　I'll　homestead　this　park；〃　said　Dale。　　〃Then　it'll
always　be　ours。〃

〃Homestead！　　What's　that？〃　murmured　Helen；　dreamily。　　The　word
sounded　sweet。

〃The　government　will　give　land　to　men　who　locate　an'　build；〃
replied　Dale。　　〃We'll　run　up　a　log　cabin。〃

〃And　come　here　often。　。　。　。　　Paradise　Park！〃　whispered　Helen。

Dale's　first　kisses　were　on　her　lips　then；　hard　and　cool　and
clean；　like　the　life　of　the　man