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clear against the cold sky。 The horses went swiftly； and the
wind cut like a blade of ice。 Helen could barely get her
breath and she panted as if she had just climbed a laborsome
hill。 The stars began to blink out of the blue； and the gold
paled somewhat； and yet twilight lingered。 It seemed long
across that flat； but really was short。 Coming to a thin
line of trees that led down over a slope to a deeper but
still isolated patch of woods； Dale dismounted and tied his
horse。 When the girls got off he haltered their horses also。
〃Stick close to me an' put your feet down easy；〃 he
whispered。 How tall and dark he loomed in the fading light！
Helen thrilled； as she had often of late； at the strange；
potential force of the man。 Stepping softly； without the
least sound； Dale entered this straggly bit of woods； which
appeared to have narrow byways and nooks。 Then presently he
came to the top of a well…wooded slope； dark as pitch；
apparently。 But as Helen followed she perceived the trees；
and they were thin dwarf spruce； partly dead。 The slope was
soft and springy； easy to step upon without noise。 Dale went
so cautiously that Helen could not hear him； and sometimes
in the gloom she could not see him。 Then the chill thrills
ran over her。 Bo kept holding on to Helen； which fact
hampered Helen as well as worked somewhat to disprove Bo's
boast。 At last level ground was reached。 Helen made out a
light…gray background crossed by black bars。 Another glance
showed this to be the dark tree…trunks against the open
park。
Dale halted； and with a touch brought Helen to a straining
pause。 He was listening。 It seemed wonderful to watch him
bend his head and stand as silent and motionless as one of
the dark trees。
〃He's not there yet；〃 Dale whispered； and he stepped forward
very slowly。 Helen and Bo began to come up against thin dead
branches that were invisible and then cracked。 Then Dale
knelt down； seemed to melt into the ground。
〃You'll have to crawl；〃 he whispered。
How strange and thrilling that was for Helen； and hard work！
The ground bore twigs and dead branches； which had to be
carefully crawled over； and lying flat； as was necessary； it
took prodigious effort to drag her body inch by inch。 Like a
huge snake； Dale wormed his way along。
Gradually the wood lightened。 They were nearing the edge of
the park。 Helen now saw a strip of open with a high； black
wall of spruce beyond。 The afterglow flashed or changed；
like a dimming northern light； and then failed。 Dale crawled
on farther to halt at length between two tree…trunks at the
edge of the wood。
〃Come up beside me；〃 he whispered。
Helen crawled on； and presently Bo was beside her panting；
with pale face and great； staring eyes； plain to be seen in
the wan light。
〃Moon's comin' up。 We're just in time。 The old grizzly's not
there yet； but I see coyotes。 Look。〃
Dale pointed across the open neck of park to a dim blurred
patch standing apart some little distance from the black
wall。
〃That's the dead horse；〃 whispered Dale。 〃An' if you watch
close you can see the coyotes。 They're gray an' they move。 。
。 。 Can't you hear them？〃
Helen's excited ears； so full of throbs and imaginings；
presently registered low snaps and snarls。 Bo gave her arm a
squeeze。
〃I hear them。 They're fighting。 Oh； gee！〃 she panted； and
drew a long； full breath of unutterable excitement。
〃Keep quiet now an' watch an' listen；〃 said the hunter。
Slowly the black； ragged forest…line seemed to grow blacker
and lift； slowly the gray neck of park lightened under some
invisible influence； slowly the stars paled and the sky
filled over。 Somewhere the moon was rising。 And slowly that
vague blurred patch grew a little clearer。
Through the tips of the spruce； now seen to be rather close
at hand； shone a slender； silver crescent moon； darkening；
hiding； shining again； climbing until its exquisite
sickle…point topped the trees； and then； magically； it
cleared them； radiant and cold。 While the eastern black wall
shaded still blacker； the park blanched and the border…line
opposite began to stand out as trees。
〃Look！ Look！〃 cried Bo； very low and fearfully； as she
pointed。
〃Not so loud；〃 whispered Dale。
〃But I see something！〃
〃Keep quiet；〃 he admonished。
Helen； in the direction Bo pointed； could not see anything
but moon…blanched bare ground； rising close at hand to a
little ridge。
〃Lie still；〃 whispered Dale。 〃I'm goin' to crawl around to
get a look from another angle。 I'll be right back。〃
He moved noiselessly backward and disappeared。 With him
gone； Helen felt a palpitating of her heart and a prickling
of her skin。
〃Oh； my！ Nell！ Look！〃 whispered Bo； in fright。 〃I know I saw
something。〃
On top of the little ridge a round object moved slowly；
getting farther out into the light。 Helen watched with
suspended breath。 It moved out to be silhouetted against the
sky apparently a huge； round； bristling animal； frosty in
color。 One instant it seemed huge the next small then
close at hand and far away。 It swerved to come directly
toward them。 Suddenly Helen realized that the beast was not
a dozen yards distant。 She was just beginning a new
experience a real and horrifying terror in which her
blood curdled； her heart gave a tremendous leap and then
stood still； and she wanted to fly； but was rooted to the
spot when Dale returned to her side。
〃That's a pesky porcupine；〃 he whispered。 〃Almost crawled
over you。 He sure would have stuck you full of quills。〃
Whereupon he threw a stick at the animal。 It bounced
straight up to turn round with startling quickness； and it
gave forth a rattling sound； then it crawled out of sight。
〃Por cu pine！〃 whispered Bo； pantingly。 〃It might
as well have been an elephant！〃
Helen uttered a long； eloquent sigh。 She would not have
cared to describe her emotions at sight of a harmless
hedgehog。
〃Listen！〃 warned Dale； very low。 His big hand closed over
Helen's gauntleted one。 〃There you have the real cry of
the wild。〃
Sharp and cold on the night air split the cry of a wolf；
distant； yet wonderfully distinct。 How wild and mournful and
hungry！ How marvelously pure！ Helen shuddered through all
her frame with the thrill of its music； the wild and
unutterable and deep emotions it aroused。 Again a sound of
this forest had pierced beyond her life； back into the dim
remote past from which she had come。
The cry was not repeated。 The coyotes were still。 And
silence fell； absolutely unbroken。
Dale nudged Helen； and then reached over to give Bo a tap。
He was peering keenly ahead and his strained intensity could
be felt。 Helen looked with all her might and she saw the
shadowy gray forms of the coyotes skulk away； out of the
moonlight into the gloom of the woods； where they
disappeared。 Not only Dale's intensity； but the very
silence； the wildness of the moment and place； seemed
fraught with wonderful potency。 Bo must have felt it； too；
for she was trembling all over； and holding tightly to
Helen； and breathing quick and fast。
〃A…huh！〃 muttered Dale； under his breath。
He