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him； 〃How？〃
It was a sincere expression of her curiosity and not
doubtful or ironic challenge of an educated woman to a man
of the forest。 But as a challenge he took it。
〃How！〃 he repeated； and a strange smile flitted across his
face。 〃Why； by givin' you rides an' climbs to beautiful
places。 An' then； if you're interested；' to show you how
little so…called civilized people know of nature。〃
Helen realized then that whatever his calling； hunter or
wanderer or hermit； he was not uneducated； even if he
appeared illiterate。
〃I'll be happy to learn from you；〃 she said。
〃Me； too！〃 chimed in Bo。 〃You can't tell too much to any one
from Missouri。〃
He smiled； and that warmed Helen to him； for then he seemed
less removed from other people。 About this hunter there
began to be something of the very nature of which he spoke
a stillness； aloofness； an unbreakable tranquillity； a
cold； clear spirit like that in the mountain air； a physical
something not unlike the tamed wildness of his pets or the
strength of the pines。
〃I'll bet I can tell you more 'n you'll ever remember；〃 he
said。
〃What 'll you bet？〃 retorted Bo。
〃Well； more roast turkey against say somethin' nice when
you're safe an' home to your uncle Al's； runnin' his ranch。〃
〃Agreed。 Nell； you hear？〃
Helen nodded her head。
〃All right。 We'll leave it to Nell；〃 began Dale； half
seriously。 〃Now I'll tell you； first； for the fun of passin'
time we'll ride an' race my horses out in the park。 An'
we'll fish in the brooks an' hunt in the woods。 There's an
old silvertip around that you can see me kill。 An' we'll
climb to the peaks an' see wonderful sights。 。 。 。 So much
for that。 Now； if you really want to learn or if you only
want me to tell you well； that's no matter。 Only I'll win
the bet！ 。 。 。 You'll see how this park lies in the crater
of a volcano an' was once full of water an' how the snow
blows in on one side in winter； a hundred feet deep； when
there's none on the other。 An' the trees how they grow
an' live an' fight one another an' depend on one another；
an' protect the forest from storm…winds。 An' how they hold
the water that is the fountains of the great rivers。 An' how
the creatures an' things that live in them or on them are
good for them； an' neither could live without the other。 An'
then I'll show you my pets tame an' untamed； an' tell you
how it's man that makes any creature wild how easy they
are to tame an' how they learn to love you。 An' there's
the life of the forest； the strife of it how the bear
lives； an' the cats； an' the wolves； an' the deer。 You'll
see how cruel nature is how savage an' wild the wolf or
cougar tears down the deer how a wolf loves fresh； hot
blood； an' how a cougar unrolls the skin of a deer back from
his neck。 An' you'll see that this cruelty of nature this
work of the wolf an' cougar is what makes the deer so
beautiful an' healthy an' swift an' sensitive。 Without his
deadly foes the deer would deteriorate an' die out。 An'
you'll see how this principle works out among all creatures
of the forest。 Strife！ It's the meanin' of all creation； an'
the salvation。 If you're quick to see； you'll learn that the
nature here in the wilds is the same as that of men only
men are no longer cannibals。 Trees fight to live birds
fight animals fight men fight。 They all live off one
another。 An' it's this fightin' that brings them all closer
an' closer to bein' perfect。 But nothin' will ever be
perfect。〃
〃But how about religion？〃 interrupted Helen； earnestly。
〃Nature has a religion； an' it's to live to grow to
reproduce； each of its kind。〃
〃But that is not God or the immortality of the soul；〃
declared Helen。
〃Well； it's as close to God an' immortality as nature ever
gets。〃
〃Oh； you would rob me of my religion！〃
〃No； I just talk as I see life；〃 replied Dale； reflectively；
as he poked a stick into the red embers of the fire。 〃Maybe
I have a religion。 I don't know。 But it's not the kind you
have not the Bible kind。 That kind doesn't keep the men
in Pine an' Snowdrop an' all over sheepmen an' ranchers
an' farmers an' travelers； such as I've known the
religion they profess doesn't keep them from lyin'；
cheatin'； stealin'； an' killin'。 I reckon no man who lives
as I do which perhaps is my religion will lie or cheat
or steal or kill； unless it's to kill in self…defense or
like I'd do if Snake Anson would ride up here now。 My
religion； maybe； is love of life wild life as it was in
the beginnin' an' the wind that blows secrets from
everywhere； an' the water that sings all day an' night； an'
the stars that shine constant； an' the trees that speak
somehow； an' the rocks that aren't dead。 I'm never alone
here or on the trails。 There's somethin' unseen； but always
with me。 An' that's It！ Call it God if you like。 But what
stalls me is where was that Spirit when this earth was a
ball of fiery gas？ Where will that Spirit be when all life
is frozen out or burned out on this globe an' it hangs dead
in space like the moon？ That time will come。 There's no
waste in nature。 Not the littlest atom is destroyed。 It
changes； that's all； as you see this pine wood go up in
smoke an' feel somethin' that's heat come out of it。 Where
does that go？ It's not lost。 Nothin' is lost。 So； the
beautiful an' savin' thought is； maybe all rock an' wood；
water an' blood an' flesh； are resolved back into the
elements； to come to life somewhere again sometime。〃
〃Oh； what you say is wonderful； but it's terrible！〃
exclaimed Helen。 He had struck deep into her soul。
〃Terrible？ I reckon；〃 he replied； sadly。
Then ensued a little interval of silence。
〃Milt Dale； I lose the bet；〃 declared Bo； with earnestness
behind her frivolity。
〃I'd forgotten that。 Reckon I talked a lot；〃 he said；
apologetically。 〃You see； I don't get much chance to talk；
except to myself or Tom。 Years ago； when I found the habit
of silence settlin' down on me； I took to thinkin' out loud
an' talkin' to anythin'。〃
〃I could listen to you all night；〃 returned Bo； dreamily。
〃Do you read do you have books？〃 inquired Helen；
suddenly。
〃Yes； I read tolerable well； a good deal better than I talk
or write；〃 he replied。 〃I went to school till I was fifteen。
Always hated study； but liked to read。 Years ago an old
friend of mine down here at Pine Widow Cass she gave
me a lot of old books。 An' I packed them up here。 Winter's
the time I read。〃
Conversation lagged after that； except for desultory
remarks； and presently Dale bade the girls good night and
left them。 Helen watched his tall form vanish in the gloom
under the pines； and after he had disappeared she still
stared。
〃Nell！〃 called Bo； shrilly。 〃I've called you three times。 I
want to go to bed。〃
〃Oh！ I I was thinking；〃 rejoined Helen； half embarrassed；
half wondering at herself。 〃I didn't hear you。〃
〃I should smile you didn't；〃 retorted Bo。 〃Wish you could
just have seen your eyes。 Nell； do you want me to tell you
something？
〃Why yes；〃 said Helen； rather feebly。 She did not at all；
when Bo talked like that。
〃You're g