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from his school and home in Iowa and； joining a wagon…train
of pioneers； he was one of the first to see log cabins built
on the slopes of the White Mountains。 But he had not taken
kindly to farming or sheep…raising or monotonous home toil；
and for twelve years he had lived in the forest； with only
infrequent visits to Pine and Show Down and Snowdrop。 This
wandering forest life of his did not indicate that he did
not care for the villagers； for he did care； and he was
welcome everywhere； but that he loved wild life and solitude
and beauty with the primitive instinctive force of a savage。
And on this night he had stumbled upon a dark plot against
the only one of all the honest white people in that region
whom he could not call a friend。
〃That man Beasley！〃 he soliloquized。 〃Beasley in cahoots
with Snake Anson！ 。 。 。 Well； he was right。 Al Auchincloss
is on his last legs。 Poor old man！ When I tell him he'll
never believe ME； that's sure！〃
Discovery of the plot meant to Dale that he must hurry down
to Pine。
〃A girl Helen Rayner twenty years old；〃 he mused。
〃Beasley wants her made off with。 。 。 。 That means worse
than killed！〃
Dale accepted facts of life with that equanimity and
fatality acquired by one long versed in the cruel annals of
forest lore。 Bad men worked their evil just as savage wolves
relayed a deer。 He had shot wolves for that trick。 With men；
good or bad； he had not clashed。 Old women and children
appealed to him； but he had never had any interest in girls。
The image； then； of this Helen Rayner came strangely to
Dale； and he suddenly realized that he had meant somehow to
circumvent Beasley； not to befriend old Al Auchincloss； but
for the sake of the girl。 Probably she was already on her
way West； alone； eager； hopeful of a future home。 How little
people guessed what awaited them at a journey's end！ Many
trails ended abruptly in the forest and only trained
woodsmen could read the tragedy。
〃Strange how I cut across country to…day from Spruce Swamp；〃
reflected Dale。 Circumstances； movements； usually were not
strange to him。 His methods and habits were seldom changed
by chance。 The matter； then； of his turning off a course out
of his way for no apparent reason； and of his having
overheard a plot singularly involving a young girl； was
indeed an adventure to provoke thought。 It provoked more；
for Dale grew conscious of an unfamiliar smoldering heat
along his veins。 He who had little to do with the strife of
men； and nothing to do with anger； felt his blood grow hot
at the cowardly trap laid for an innocent girl。
〃Old Al won't listen to me；〃 pondered Dale。 〃An' even if he
did； he wouldn't believe me。 Maybe nobody will。 。 。 。 All
the same； Snake Anson won't get that girl。〃
With these last words Dale satisfied himself of his own
position； and his pondering ceased。 Taking his rifle； he
descended from the loft and peered out of the door。 The
night had grown darker； windier； cooler； broken clouds were
scudding across the sky； only a few stars showed； fine rain
was blowing from the northwest； and the forest seemed full
of a low； dull roar。
〃Reckon I'd better hang up here；〃 he said； and turned to the
fire。 The coals were red now。 From the depths of his
hunting…coat he procured a little bag of salt and some
strips of dried meat。 These strips he laid for a moment on
the hot embers； until they began to sizzle and curl； then
with a sharpened stick he removed them and ate like a hungry
hunter grateful for little。
He sat on a block of wood with his palms spread to the dying
warmth of the fire and his eyes fixed upon the changing；
glowing； golden embers。 Outside； the wind continued to rise
and the moan of the forest increased to a roar。 Dale felt
the comfortable warmth stealing over him； drowsily lulling；
and he heard the storm…wind in the trees； now like a
waterfall； and anon like a retreating army； and again low
and sad； and he saw pictures in the glowing embers； strange
as dreams。
Presently he rose and； climbing to the loft； he stretched
himself out； and soon fell asleep。
When the gray dawn broke he was on his way； 'cross…country；
to the village of Pine。
During the night the wind had shifted and the rain had
ceased。 A suspicion of frost shone on the grass in open
places。 All was gray the parks； the glades and deeper；
darker gray marked the aisles of the forest。 Shadows lurked
under the trees and the silence seemed consistent with
spectral forms。 Then the east kindled； the gray lightened；
the dreaming woodland awoke to the far…reaching rays of a
bursting red sun。
This was always the happiest moment of Dale's lonely days；
as sunset was his saddest。 He responded； and there was
something in his blood that answered the whistle of a stag
from a near…by ridge。 His strides were long； noiseless； and
they left dark trace where his feet brushed the dew…laden
grass。
Dale pursued a zigzag course over the ridges to escape the
hardest climbing； but the 〃senacas〃 those parklike
meadows so named by Mexican sheep…herders were as round
and level as if they had been made by man in beautiful
contrast to the dark…green； rough； and rugged ridges。 Both
open senaca and dense wooded ridge showed to his quick eye
an abundance of game。 The cracking of twigs and disappearing
flash of gray among the spruces； a round black lumbering
object； a twittering in the brush； and stealthy steps； were
all easy signs for Dale to read。 Once； as he noiselessly
emerged into a little glade； he espied a red fox stalking
some quarry； which； as he advanced； proved to be a flock of
partridges。 They whirred up； brushing the branches； and the
fox trotted away。 In every senaca Dale encountered wild
turkeys feeding on the seeds of the high grass。
It had always been his custom； on his visits to Pine； to
kill and pack fresh meat down to several old friends； who
were glad to give him lodging。 And； hurried though he was
now； he did not intend to make an exception of this trip。
At length he got down into the pine belt； where the great；
gnarled； yellow trees soared aloft； stately； and aloof from
one another； and the ground was a brown； odorous； springy
mat of pine…needles； level as a floor。 Squirrels watched him
from all around； scurrying away at his near approach
tiny； brown； light…striped squirrels； and larger ones；
russet…colored； and the splendid dark…grays with their white
bushy tails and plumed ears。
This belt of pine ended abruptly upon wide； gray； rolling；
open land； almost like a prairie； with foot…hills lifting
near and far； and the red…gold blaze of aspen thickets
catching the morning sun。 Here Dale flushed a flock of wild
turkeys； upward of forty in number； and their subdued color
of gray flecked with white； and graceful； sleek build；
showed them to be hens。 There was not a gobbler in the
flock。 They began to run pell…mell out into the grass； until
only their heads appeared bobbing along； and finally
disappeared。 Dale caught a glimpse of skulking coyotes that
evidently had been stalking the turkeys； and as they saw him
and darted into the timber he took a quick sho