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the man of the forest-第61部分

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low tones。  The place enjoined silence。

Wilson performed for the girl very much the same service as
he had the night before。  Only he advised her not to starve
herself; she must eat to keep up her strength。  She complied
at the expense of considerable effort。

As it had been a back…breaking day; in which all of them;
except the girl; had climbed miles on foot; they did not
linger awake long enough after supper to learn what a wild;
weird; and pitch…black spot the outlaw leader had chosen。
The little spaces of open ground between the huge…trunked
pine…trees had no counterpart up in the lofty spreading
foliage。  Not a star could blink a wan ray of light into that
Stygian pit。  The wind; cutting down over abrupt heights
farther up; sang in the pine…needles as if they were strings
vibrant with chords。  Dismal creaks were audible。  They were
the forest sounds of branch or tree rubbing one another; but
which needed the corrective medium of daylight to convince
any human that they were other than ghostly。  Then; despite
the wind and despite the changing murmur of the brook; there
seemed to be a silence insulating them; as deep and
impenetrable as the darkness。

But the outlaws; who were fugitives now; slept the sleep of
the weary; and heard nothing。  They awoke with the sun; when
the forest seemed smoky in a golden gloom; when light and
bird and squirrel proclaimed the day。

The horses had not strayed out of this basin during the
night; a circumstance that Anson was not slow to appreciate。

〃It ain't no cheerful camp; but I never seen a safer place
to hole up in;〃 he remarked to Wilson。

〃Wal; yes  if any place is safe;〃 replied that ally;
dubiously。

〃We can watch our back tracks。  There ain't any other way to
git in hyar thet I see。〃

〃Snake; we was tolerable fair sheep…rustlers; but we're no
good woodsmen。〃

Anson grumbled his disdain of this comrade who had once been
his mainstay。  Then he sent Burt out to hunt fresh meat and
engaged his other men at cards。  As they now had the means to
gamble; they at once became absorbed。  Wilson smoked and
divided his thoughtful gaze between the gamblers and the
drooping figure of the girl。  The morning air was keen; and
she; evidently not caring to be near her captors beside the
camp…fire; had sought the only sunny spot in this gloomy
dell。  A couple of hours passed; the sun climbed high; the
air grew warmer。  Once the outlaw leader raised his head to
scan the heavy…timbered slopes that inclosed the camp。

〃Jim; them hosses are strayin' off ;〃 he observed。

Wilson leisurely rose and stalked off across the small; open
patches; in the direction of the horses。  They had grazed
around from the right toward the outlet of the brook。  Here
headed a ravine; dense and green。  Two of the horses had gone
down。  Wilson evidently heard them; though they were not in
sight; and he circled somewhat so as to get ahead of them
and drive them back。  The invisible brook ran down over the
rocks with murmur and babble。  He halted with instinctive
action。  He listened。  Forest sounds; soft; lulling; came on
the warm; pine…scented breeze。  It would have taken no keen
ear to hear soft and rapid padded footfalls。  He moved on
cautiously and turned into a little open; mossy spot;
brown…matted and odorous; full of ferns and bluebells。  In
the middle of this; deep in the moss; he espied a huge round
track of a cougar。  He bent over it。  Suddenly he stiffened;
then straightened guardedly。  At that instant he received a
hard prod in the back。  Throwing up his hands; he stood
still; then slowly turned。  A tall hunter in gray buckskin;
gray…eyed and square…jawed; had him covered with a cocked
rifle。  And beside this hunter stood a monster cougar;
snarling and blinking。



CHAPTER XXII

〃Howdy; Dale;〃 drawled Wilson。  〃Reckon you're a little
previous on me。〃

〃Sssssh!  Not so loud;〃 said the hunter; in low voice。
〃You're Jim Wilson?〃

〃Shore am。  Say; Dale; you showed up soon。  Or did you jest
happen to run acrost us?〃

〃I've trailed you。  Wilson; I'm after the girl。〃

〃I knowed thet when I seen you!〃

The cougar seemed actuated by the threatening position of
his master; and he opened his mouth; showing great yellow
fangs; and spat at Wilson。  The outlaw apparently had no fear
of Dale or the cocked rifle; but that huge; snarling cat
occasioned him uneasiness。

〃Wilson; I've heard you spoken of as a white outlaw;〃 said
Dale。

〃Mebbe I am。  But shore I'll be a scared one in a minit。
Dale; he's goin' to jump me!〃

〃The cougar won't jump you unless I make him。  Wilson; if I
let you go will you get the girl for me?〃

〃Wal; lemme see。  Supposin' I refuse?〃 queried Wilson;
shrewdly。

〃Then; one way or another; it's all up with you。〃

〃Reckon I 'ain't got much choice。  Yes; I'll do it。  But;
Dale; are you goin' to take my word for thet an' let me go
back to Anson?〃

〃Yes; I am。  You're no fool。  An' I believe you're square。
I've got Anson and his gang corralled。  You can't slip me 
not in these woods。  I could run off your horses  pick you
off one by one  or turn the cougar loose on you at night。〃

〃Shore。  It's your game。  Anson dealt himself this hand。 。 。 。
Between you an' me; Dale; I never liked the deal。〃

〃Who shot Riggs?  。 。 。  I found his body。〃

〃Wal; yours truly was around when thet come off;〃 replied
Wilson; with an involuntary little shudder。  Some thought
made him sick。

〃The girl?  Is she safe  unharmed?〃 queried Dale;
hurriedly。

〃She's shore jest as safe an' sound as when she was home。
Dale; she's the gamest kid thet ever breathed!  Why; no one
could hev ever made me believe a girl; a kid like her; could
hev the nerve she's got。  Nothin's happened to her 'cept
Riggs hit her in the mouth。 。 。 。  I killed him for thet。 。 。
。  An'; so help me; God; I believe it's been workin' in me to
save her somehow!  Now it'll not be so hard。〃

〃But how?〃 demanded Dale。

〃Lemme see。 。 。 。  Wal; I've got to sneak her out of camp an'
meet you。  Thet's all。〃

〃It must be done quick。〃

〃But; Dale; listen;〃 remonstrated Wilson; earnestly。  〃Too
quick 'll be as bad as too slow。  Snake is sore these days;
gittin' sorer all the time。  He might savvy somethin'; if I
ain't careful; an' kill the girl or do her harm。  I know
these fellars。  They're all ready to go to pieces。  An' shore
I must play safe。  Shore it'd be safer to have a plan。〃

Wilson's shrewd; light eyes gleamed with an idea。  He was
about to lower one of his upraised hands; evidently to point
to the cougar; when he thought better of that。

〃Anson's scared of cougars。  Mebbe we can scare him an' the
gang so it 'd be easy to sneak the girl off。  Can you make
thet big brute do tricks?  Rush the camp at night an' squall
an' chase off the horses?〃

〃I'll guarantee to scare Anson out of ten years' growth;〃
replied Dale。

〃Shore it's a go; then;〃 resumed Wilson; as if glad。  〃I'll
post the girl  give her a hunch to do her part。  You sneak
up to…night jest before dark。  I'll hev the gang worked up。
An' then you put the cougar to his tricks; whatever you
want。  When the gang gits wild I'll grab the girl an' pack
her off down heah or somewheres aboot an' whistle fer you。 。
。 。  But mebbe thet ain't so good。  If' thet cougar comes
pilin' into camp he might jump me instead of one of the
gang。  An' another hunch。  He; might slope up on me in the
dark when I was tryin' to find you。  Shore thet ain't
appealin' to me。〃

〃Wilson; this cougar is a pet;〃 replied Dale。  〃You think
he's dangerous; but he's not。  No more than a kitten。  He only
looks fierce。  He has never been hurt by a person an' he's
never fought anythin' himself but deer an' bear。  I can make
him trail any scent。  But the truth is I couldn't make him
hurt you or anybody。  All the same; he can be made to scare
the hair off any one who doesn't know him。〃

〃Shore thet settles me。  I'll be havin' a grand joke while
them fellars is scared to death。 。 。 。  Dale; you can depend
on me。  An' I'm beholdin' to you fer what 'll square me some
with myself。 。 。 。  To…night; an' if it won't work then;
to…morrer night shore!〃

Dale lowered the rifle。  The big cougar spat again。  Wilson
dropped his hands and; stepping forward; split the green
wall of intersecting spruce branches。  Then he turned up the
ravine toward the glen。  Once there; in sight of his
comrades; his action and expression changed。

〃Hosses all thar; Jim?〃 asked Anson; as he picked up; his
cards。

〃Shore。  They act awful queer; them hosses;〃 replied。  Wilson。
〃They're afraid of somethin'。〃

〃A…huh!  Silvertip mebbe;〃 muttered Anson。  〃Jim; You jest
keep watch of them hosses。  We'd be done if some tarnal
varmint stampeded them。〃

〃Reckon I'm elected to do all the work now;〃 complained
Wilson; 〃while you card…sharps cheat each other。〃 Rustle the
hosses  an' water an' fire…wood。  Cook an' wash。  Hey?〃

〃No one I ever seen can do them camp tricks any better 'n
Jim Wilson;〃 replied Anson。

〃Jim; you're a lady's man an' thar's our pretty hoodoo over
thar to feed an' amoose;〃 remarked Shady Jones; with a smile
that disarmed his speech。

The outlaws guffawed。

〃Git out; Jim; yo
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