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the man of the forest-第55部分

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〃Oh; my friend!〃 came Helen's sad voice; almost a whisper to
his throbbing ears。  〃Heaven help you  to save her!  I 〃

Then Ranger started and Dale heard no more。  He could not
look back。  His eyes were full of tears and his breast ached。
By a tremendous effort he shifted that emotion  called on
all the spiritual energy of his being to the duty of this
grim task before him。

He did not ride down through the village; but skirted the
northern border; and worked round to the south; where;
coming to the trail he had made an hour past; he headed on
it; straight for the slope now darkening in the twilight。
The big cougar showed more willingness to return on this
trail than he had shown in the coming。  Ranger was fresh and
wanted to go; but Dale held him in。

A cool wind blew down from the mountain with the coming of
night。  Against the brightening stars Dale saw the promontory
lift its bold outline。  It was miles away。  It haunted him;
strangely calling。  A night; and perhaps a day; separated him
from the gang that held Bo Rayner prisoner。  Dale had no plan
as yet。  He had only a motive as great as the love he bore
Helen Rayner。

Beasley's evil genius had planned this abduction。  Riggs was
a tool; a cowardly knave dominated by a stronger will。  Snake
Anson and his gang had lain in wait at that cedar camp; had
made that broad hoof track leading up the mountain。  Beasley
had been there with them that very day。  All this was as
assured to Dale as if he had seen the men。

But the matter of Dale's recovering the girl and doing it
speedily strung his mental strength to its highest pitch。
Many outlines of action flashed through his mind as he rode
on; peering keenly through the night; listening with
practised ears。  All were rejected。  And at the outset of
every new branching of thought he would gaze down at the
gray form of the cougar; long; graceful; heavy; as he padded
beside the horse。  From the first thought of returning to
help Helen Rayner he had conceived an undefined idea of
possible value in the qualities of his pet。  Tom had
performed wonderful feats of trailing; but he had never been
tried on men。  Dale believed he could make him trail
anything; yet he had no proof of this。  One fact stood out of
all Dale's conjectures; and it was that he had known men;
and brave men; to fear cougars。

Far up on the slope; in a little hollow where water ran and
there was a little grass for Ranger to pick; Dale haltered
him and made ready to spend the night。  He was sparing with
his food; giving Tom more than he took himself。  Curled close
up to Dale; the big cat went to sleep。

But Dale lay awake for long。

The night was still; with only a faint moan of wind on this
sheltered slope。  Dale saw hope in the stars。  He did not seem
to have promised himself or Helen that he could save her
sister; and then her property。  He seemed to have stated
something unconsciously settled; outside of his thinking。
Strange how this certainty was not vague; yet irreconcilable
with any plans he created!  Behind it; somehow nameless with
inconceivable power; surged all his wonderful knowledge of
forest; of trails; of scents; of night; of the nature of men
lying down to sleep in the dark; lonely woods; of the nature
of this great cat that lived its every action in accordance
with his will。

He grew sleepy; and gradually his mind stilled; with his
last conscious thought a portent that he would awaken to
accomplish his desperate task。



CHAPTER XX

Young Burt possessed the keenest eyes of any man in Snake
Anson's gang; for which reason he was given the post as
lookout from the lofty promontory。  His instructions were to
keep sharp watch over the open slopes below and to report
any sight of a horse。

A cedar fire with green boughs on top of dead wood sent up a
long; pale column of smoke。  This signal…fire had been kept
burning since sunrise。

The preceding night camp had been made on a level spot in
the cedars back of the promontory。  But manifestly Anson did
not expect to remain there long。  For; after breakfast; the
packs had been made up and the horses stood saddled and
bridled。  They were restless and uneasy; tossing bits and
fighting flies。  The sun; now half…way to meridian; was hot
and no breeze blew in that sheltered spot。

Shady Jones had ridden off early to fill the water…bags; and
had not yet returned。  Anson; thinner and scalier and more
snakelike than ever; was dealing a greasy; dirty deck of
cards; his opponent being the square…shaped; black…visaged
Moze。  In lieu of money the gamblers wagered with
cedar…berries; each of which berries represented a pipeful
of tobacco。  Jim Wilson brooded under a cedar…tree; his
unshaven face a dirty dust…hue; a smoldering fire in his
light eyes; a sullen set to his jaw。  Every little while he
would raise his eyes to glance at Riggs; and it seemed that
a quick glance was enough。  Riggs paced to and fro in the
open; coatless and hatless; his black…broadcloth trousers
and embroidered vest dusty and torn。  An enormous gun bumped
awkwardly in its sheath swinging below his hip。  Riggs looked
perturbed。  His face was sweating freely; yet it was far from
red in color。  He did not appear to mind the sun or the
flies。  His eyes were staring; dark; wild; shifting in gaze
from everything they encountered。  But often that gaze shot
back to the captive girl sitting under a cedar some yards
from the man。

Bo Rayner's little; booted feet were tied together with one
end of a lasso and the other end trailed off over the
ground。  Her hands were free。  Her riding…habit was dusty and
disordered。  Her eyes blazed defiantly out of a small; pale
face。

〃Harve Riggs; I wouldn't be standing in those cheap boots of
yours for a million dollars;〃 she said; sarcastically。  Riggs
took no notice of her words。

〃You pack that gun…sheath wrong end out。  What have you got
the gun for; anyhow?〃 she added; tauntingly。

Snake Anson let out a hoarse laugh and Moze's black visage
opened in a huge grin。  Jim Wilson seemed to drink in the
girl's words。  Sullen and somber; he bent his lean head; very
still; as if listening。

〃You'd better shut up;〃 said Riggs; darkly。

〃I will not shut up;〃 declared Bo。

〃Then I'll gag you;〃 he threatened。

〃Gag me!  Why; you dirty; low…down; two…bit of a bluff!〃 she
exclaimed; hotly; 〃I'd like to see you try it。  I'll tear
that long hair of yours right off your head。〃

Riggs advanced toward her with his hands clutching; as if
eager to throttle her。  The girl leaned forward; her face
reddening; her eyes fierce。

〃You damned little cat!〃 muttered Riggs; thickly。  〃I'll gag
you  if you don't stop squallin'。〃

〃Come on。  I dare you to lay a hand on me。 。 。 。  Harve Riggs;
I'm not the least afraid of you。  Can't you savvy that?
You're a liar; a four…flush; a sneak!  Why; you're not fit to
wipe the feet of any of these outlaws。〃

Riggs took two long strides and bent over her; his teeth
protruding in a snarl; and he cuffed her hard on the side of
the head。

Bo's head jerked back with the force of the blow; but she
uttered no cry。

〃Are you goin' to keep your jaw shut?〃 he demanded;
stridently; and a dark tide of blood surged up into his
neck。

〃I should smile I'm not;〃 retorted Bo; in cool; deliberate
anger of opposition。  〃You've roped me  and you've struck
me!  Now get a club  stand off there  out of my reach 
and beat me!  Oh; if I only knew cuss words fit for you 
I'd call you them!〃

Snake Anson had stopped playing cards; and was watching;
listening; with half…disgusted; half…amused expression on
his serpent…like face。  Jim Wilson slowly rose to his feet。
If any one had observed him it would have been to note that
he now seemed singularly fascinated by this scene; yet all
the while absorbed in himself。  Once he loosened the
neck…band of his blouse。

Riggs swung his arm more violently at the girl。  But she
dodged。

〃You dog!〃 she hissed。  〃Oh; if I only had a gun!〃

Her face then; with its dead whiteness and the eyes of
flame; held a tragic; impelling beauty that stung Anson into
remonstrance。

〃Aw; Riggs; don't beat up the kid;〃 he protested。  〃Thet
won't do any good。  Let her alone。〃

〃But she's got to shut up;〃 replied Riggs。

〃How 'n hell air you goin' to shet her up?  Mebbe if you get
out of her sight she'll be quiet。 。 。 。  How about thet;
girl?〃

Anson gnawed his drooping mustache as he eyed Bo。

〃Have I made any kick to you or your men yet?〃 she queried。

〃It strikes me you 'ain't;〃 replied Anson。

〃You won't hear me make any so long as I'm treated decent;〃
said Bo。  〃I don't know what you've got to do with Riggs。  He
ran me down  roped me  dragged me to your camp。  Now I've
a hunch you're waiting for Beasley。〃

〃Girl; your hunch 's correct;〃 said Anson。

〃Well; do you know I'm the wrong girl?〃

〃What's thet?  I reckon you're Nell Rayner; who got left all
old Auchincloss's property。〃

〃No。  I'm Bo Rayner。  Nell is my sister。  She owns the ranch。
Beasley wanted her。〃

Anson cursed deep and low。  Under his sharp; bristling
eyebrows he bent cunning green eyes upon Riggs。

〃Say; you!  Is what this kid says so?〃

〃Yes。
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