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the man of the forest-第20部分
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I meet up with Beasley。 I'm a hossman; not a hunter。 You're
used to shootin' flies off deer's horns; jest for practice。〃
〃Roy; can we make my camp by to…morrow night?〃 queried Dale;
more seriously。
〃We will; if each of us has to carry one of the girls。 But
they'll do it or die。 Dale; did you ever see a gamer girl
than thet kid Bo?〃
〃Me! Where'd I ever see any girls?〃 ejaculated Dale。 〃I
remember some when I was a boy; but I was only fourteen
then。 Never had much use for girls。〃
〃I'd like to have a wife like that Bo;〃 declared Roy;
fervidly。
There ensued a moment's silence。
〃Roy; you're a Mormon an' you already got a wife;〃 was
Dale's reply。
〃Now; Milt; have you lived so long in the woods thet you
never heard of a Mormon with two wives?〃 returned Roy; and
then he laughed heartily。
〃I never could stomach what I did hear pertainin' to more
than one wife for a man。〃
〃Wal; my friend; you go an' get yourself ONE。 An' see then
if you wouldn't like to have TWO。〃
〃I reckon one 'd be more than enough for Milt Dale。〃
〃Milt; old man; let me tell you thet I always envied you
your freedom;〃 said Roy; earnestly。 〃But it ain't life。〃
〃You mean life is love of a woman?〃
〃No。 Thet's only part。 I mean a son a boy thet's like you
thet you feel will go on with your life after you're
gone。〃
〃I've thought of that thought it all out; watchin' the
birds an' animals mate in the woods。 。 。 。 If I have no son
I'll never live hereafter。〃
〃Wal;〃 replied Roy; hesitatingly; 〃I don't go in so deep as
thet。 I mean a son goes on with your blood an' your work。〃
〃Exactly。 。 。 An'; Roy; I envy you what you ve got; because
it's out of all bounds for Milt Dale。〃
Those words; sad and deep; ended the conversation。 Again the
rumbling; rushing stream dominated the forest。 An owl hooted
dismally。 A horse trod thuddingly near by and from that
direction came a cutting tear of teeth on grass。
A voice pierced Helen's deep dreams and; awaking; she found
Bo shaking and calling her。
〃Are you dead?〃 came the gay voice。
〃Almost。 Oh; my back's broken;〃 replied Helen。 The desire to
move seemed clamped in a vise; and even if that came she
believed the effort would be impossible。
〃Roy called us;〃 said Bo。 〃He said hurry。 I thought I'd die
just sitting up; and I'd give you a million dollars to lace
my boots。 Wait; sister; till you try to pull on one of those
stiff boots!〃
With heroic and violent spirit Helen sat up to find that in
the act her aches and pains appeared beyond number。 Reaching
for her boots; she found them cold and stiff。 Helen unlaced
one and; opening it wide; essayed to get her sore foot down
into it。 But her foot appeared swollen and the boot appeared
shrunken。 She could not get it half on; though she expended
what little strength seemed left in her aching arms。 She
groaned。
Bo laughed wickedly。 Her hair was tousled; her eyes dancing;
her cheeks red。
〃Be game!〃 she said。 〃Stand up like a real Western girl and
PULL your boot on。〃
Whether Bo's scorn or advice made the task easier did not
occur to Helen; but the fact was that she got into her
boots。 Walking and moving a little appeared to loosen the
stiff joints and ease that tired feeling。 The water of the
stream where the girls washed was colder than any ice Helen
had ever felt。 It almost paralyzed her hands。 Bo mumbled;
and blew like a porpoise。 They had to run to the fire before
being able to comb their hair。 The air was wonderfully keen。
The dawn was clear; bright; with a red glow in the east
where the sun was about to rise。
〃All ready; girls;〃 called Roy。 〃Reckon you can help
yourselves。 Milt ain't comin' in very fast with the hosses。
I'll rustle off to help him。 We've got a hard day before us。
Yesterday wasn't nowhere to what to…day 'll be。〃
〃But the sun's going to shine?〃 implored Bo。
〃Wal; you bet;〃 rejoined Roy; as he strode off。
Helen and Bo ate breakfast and had the camp to themselves
for perhaps half an hour; then the horses came thudding
down; with Dale and Roy riding bareback。
By the time all was in readiness to start the sun was up;
melting the frost and ice; so that a dazzling; bright mist;
full of rainbows; shone under the trees。
Dale looked Ranger over; and tried the cinches of Bo's
horse。
〃What's your choice a long ride behind the packs with me
or a short cut over the hills with Roy?〃 he asked。
〃I choose the lesser of two rides;〃 replied Helen; smiling。
〃Reckon that 'll be easier; but you'll know you've had a
ride;〃 said Dale; significantly。
〃What was that we had yesterday?〃 asked Bo; archly。
〃Only thirty miles; but cold an' wet。 To…day will be fine
for ridin'。〃
〃Milt; I'll take a blanket an' some grub in case you don't
meet us to…night;〃 said Roy。 〃An' I reckon we'll split up
here where I'll have to strike out on thet short cut。〃
Bo mounted without a helping hand; but Helen's limbs were so
stiff that she could not get astride the high Ranger without
assistance。 The hunter headed up the slope of the canuon;
which on that side was not steep。 It was brown pine forest;
with here and there a clump of dark; silver…pointed
evergreens that Roy called spruce。 By the time this slope
was surmounted Helen's aches were not so bad。 The saddle
appeared to fit her better; and the gait of the horse was
not so unfamiliar。 She reflected; however; that she always
had done pretty well uphill。 Here it was beautiful
forest…land; uneven and wilder。 They rode for a time along
the rim; with the white rushing stream in plain sight far
below; with its melodious roar ever thrumming in the ear。
Dale reined in and peered down at the pine…mat。
〃Fresh deer sign all along here;〃 he said; pointing。
〃Wal; I seen thet long ago;〃 rejoined Roy。
Helen's scrutiny was rewarded by descrying several tiny
depressions in the pine…needles; dark in color and sharply
defined。
〃We may never get a better chance;〃 said Dale。 〃Those deer
are workin' up our way。 Get your rifle out。〃
Travel was resumed then; with Roy a little in advance of the
pack…train。 Presently he dismounted; threw his bridle; and
cautiously peered ahead。 Then; turning; he waved his
sombrero。 The pack…animals halted in a bunch。 Dale beckoned
for the girls to follow and rode up to Roy's horse。 This
point; Helen saw; was at the top of an intersecting canuon。
Dale dismounted; without drawing his rifle from its
saddle…sheath; and approached Roy。
〃Buck an' two does;〃 he said; low…voiced。 〃An' they've
winded us; but don't see us yet。 。 。 。 Girls; ride up
closer。〃
Following the directions indicated by Dale's long arm; Helen
looked down the slope。 It was open; with tall pines here and
there; and clumps of silver spruce; and aspens shining like
gold in the morning sunlight。 Presently Bo exclaimed: 〃Oh;
look! I see! I see!〃 Then Helen's roving glance passed
something different from green and gold and brown。 Shifting
back to it she saw a magnificent stag; with noble spreading
antlers; standing like a statue; his head up in alert and
wild posture。 His color was gray。 Beside him grazed two deer
of slighter and more graceful build; without horns。
〃It's downhill;〃 whispered Dale。 〃An' you're goin' to
overshoot。〃
Then Helen saw that Roy had his rifle leveled。
〃Oh; don't!〃 she cried。
Dale's remark evidently nettled Roy。 He lowered the rifle。
〃Milt; it's me lookin' over this gun。 How can you stand
there an' tell me I'm goin' to shoot high? I had a dead bead
on him。〃
〃Roy; you didn't allow for downhill 。 。 。 Hurry。 He sees us
now。〃
Roy leveled the rifle and; taking aim as before; he fired。
The buck stood perfectly motionless; as if he had indeed
been stone。 The does; however; jumped with a start; and
gazed in fright in every direction。
〃Told you! I seen where your bullet hit thet pine half a
foot over his shoulder。 Try again an' aim at his legs。〃
Roy now took a quicker aim and pulled trigger。 A puff of
dust right at the feet of the buck showed where Roy's lead
had struck this time。 With a single bound; wonderful to see;
the big deer was out of sight behind trees and brush。 The
does leaped after him。
〃Doggone the luck!〃 ejaculated Roy; red in the face; as he
worked the lever of his rifle。 〃Never could shoot downhill;
nohow!〃
His rueful apology to the girls for missing brought a merry
laugh from Bo。
〃Not for worlds would I have had you kill that beautiful
deer!〃 she exclaimed。
〃We won't have venison steak off him; that's certain;〃
remarked Dale; dryly。 〃An' maybe none off any deer; if Roy
does the shootin'。〃
They resumed travel; sheering off to the right and keeping
to the edge of the intersecting canuon。 At length they rode
down to the bottom; where a tiny brook babbled through
willows; and they followed this for a mile or so down to
where it flowed into the larger stream。 A dim trail
overgrown with grass showed at this point。
〃Here's where we part;〃 said Dale。 〃You'll beat me into my
camp; but I'll get there sometime after dark。〃
〃Hey; Milt; I forgot about thet darned pet cougar of yours
an' the rest of your menagerie。 Reckon they
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