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〃Just had the wind knocked out of you；〃 went on Dale。 It
feels awful； but it's nothin'。〃
Helen got a little air； that was like hot pin…points in her
lungs； and then a deeper breath； and then full； gasping
respiration。
〃I guess I'm not hurt not a bit；〃 she choked out。
〃You sure had a header。 Never saw a prettier spill。 Ranger
doesn't do that often。 I reckon we were travelin' too fast。
But it was fun； don't you think？〃
It was Bo who answered。 〃Oh； glorious！ 。 。 。 But； gee！ I was
scared。〃
Dale still held Helen's hands。 She released them while
looking up at him。 The moment was realization for her of
what for days had been a vague； sweet uncertainty； becoming
near and strange； disturbing and present。 This accident had
been a sudden； violent end to the wonderful ride。 But its
effect； the knowledge of what had got into her blood； would
never change。 And inseparable from it was this man of the
forest。
CHAPTER XIV
On the next morning Helen was awakened by what she imagined
had been a dream of some one shouting。 With a start she sat
up。 The sunshine showed pink and gold on the ragged spruce
line of the mountain rims。 Bo was on her knees； braiding her
hair with shaking hands； and at the same time trying to peep
out。
And the echoes of a ringing cry were cracking back from the
cliffs。 That had been Dale's voice。
〃Nell！ Nell！ Wake up！〃 called Bo； wildly。 〃Oh； some one's
come！ Horses and men！〃
Helen got to her knees and peered out over Bo's shoulder。
Dale； standing tall and striking beside the campfire； was
waving his sombrero。 Away down the open edge of the park
came a string of pack…burros with mounted men behind。 In the
foremost rider Helen recognized Roy Beeman。
〃That first one's Roy！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I'd never forget him
on a horse。 。 。 。 Bo； it must mean Uncle Al's come！〃
〃Sure！ We're born lucky。 Here we are safe and sound and
all this grand camp trip。 。 。 。 Look at the cowboys。 。 。 。
LOOK！ Oh； maybe this isn't great！〃 babbled Bo。
Dale wheeled to see the girls peeping out。
〃It's time you're up！〃 he called。 〃Your uncle Al is here。〃
For an instant after Helen sank back out of Dale's sight she
sat there perfectly motionless； so struck was she by the
singular tone of Dale's voice。 She imagined that he
regretted what this visiting cavalcade of horsemen meant
they had come to take her to her ranch in Pine。 Helen's
heart suddenly began to beat fast； but thickly； as if
muffled within her breast。
〃Hurry now； girls；〃 called Dale。
Bo was already out； kneeling on the flat stone at the little
brook； splashing water in a great hurry。 Helen's hands
trembled so that she could scarcely lace her boots or brush
her hair； and she was long behind Bo in making herself
presentable。 When Helen stepped out； a short； powerfully
built man in coarse garb and heavy boots stood holding Bo's
hands。
〃Wal； wal！ You favor the Rayners；〃 he was saying I remember
your dad； an' a fine feller he was。〃
Beside them stood Dale and Roy； and beyond was a group of
horses and riders。
〃Uncle； here comes Nell；〃 said Bo； softly。
〃Aw！〃 The old cattle…man breathed hard as he turned。
Helen hurried。 She had not expected to remember this uncle；
but one look into the brown； beaming face； with the blue
eyes flashing； yet sad； and she recognized him； at the same
instant recalling her mother。
He held out his arms to receive her。
〃Nell Auchincloss all over again！〃 he exclaimed； in deep
voice； as he kissed her。 〃I'd have knowed you anywhere！〃
〃Uncle Al！〃 murmured Helen。 〃I remember you though I was
only four。〃
〃Wal； wal； that's fine；〃 he replied。 〃I remember you
straddled my knee once； an' your hair was brighter an'
curly。 It ain't neither now。 。 。 。 Sixteen years！ An' you're
twenty now？ What a fine； broad…shouldered girl you are！ An'；
Nell； you're the handsomest Auchincloss I ever seen！〃
Helen found herself blushing； and withdrew her hands from
his as Roy stepped forward to pay his respects。 He stood
bareheaded； lean and tall； with neither his clear eyes nor
his still face； nor the proffered hand expressing anything
of the proven quality of fidelity； of achievement； that
Helen sensed in him。
〃Howdy； Miss Helen？ Howdy； Bo？〃 he said。 〃You all both look
fine an' brown。 。 。 。 I reckon I was shore slow rustlin'
your uncle Al up here。 But I was figgerin' you'd like Milt's
camp for a while。〃
〃We sure did；〃 replied Bo； archly。
〃Aw！〃 breathed Auchincloss； heavily。 〃Lemme set down。〃
He drew the girls to the rustic seat Dale had built for them
under the big pine。
〃Oh； you must be tired！ How how are you？〃 asked Helen；
anxiously。
〃Tired！ Wal； if I am it's jest this here minit。 When Joe
Beeman rode in on me with thet news of you wal； I jest
fergot I was a worn…out old hoss。 Haven't felt so good in
years。 Mebbe two such young an' pretty nieces will make a
new man of me。〃
〃Uncle Al； you look strong and well to me；〃 said Bo。 〃And
young； too； and 〃
〃Haw！ Haw！ Thet 'll do；〃 interrupted Al。 〃I see through you。
What you'll do to Uncle Al will be aplenty。 。 。 。 Yes；
girls； I'm feelin' fine。 But strange strange！ Mebbe
thet's my joy at seein' you safe safe when I feared so
thet damned greaser Beasley 〃
In Helen's grave gaze his face changed swiftly and all
the serried years of toil and battle and privation showed；
with something that was not age； nor resignation； yet as
tragic as both。
〃Wal； never mind him now；〃 he added； slowly； and the
warmer light returned to his face。 〃Dale come here。〃
The hunter stepped closer。
〃I reckon I owe you more 'n I can ever pay；〃 said
Auchincloss； with an arm around each niece。
〃No； Al； you don't owe me anythin'；〃 returned Dale；
thoughtfully； as he looked away。
〃A…huh！〃 grunted Al。 〃You hear him； girls。 。 。 。 Now listen；
you wild hunter。 An' you girls listen。 。 。 。 Milt； I never
thought you much good； 'cept for the wilds。 But I reckon
I'll have to swallow thet。 I do。 Comin' to me as you did
an' after bein' druv off keepin' your council an' savin'
my girls from thet hold…up； wal； it's the biggest deal any
man ever did for me。 。 。 。 An' I'm ashamed of my hard
feelin's； an' here's my hand。〃
〃Thanks； Al；〃 replied Dale； with his fleeting smile； and he
met the proffered hand。 〃Now； will you be makin' camp here？〃
〃Wal； no。 I'll rest a little； an' you can pack the girls'
outfit then we'll go。 Sure you're goin' with us？〃
〃I'll call the girls to breakfast；〃 replied Dale； and he
moved away without answering Auchincloss's query。
Helen divined that Dale did not mean to go down to Pine with
them； and the knowledge gave her a blank feeling of
surprise。 Had she expected him to go？
〃Come here； Jeff；〃 called Al； to one of his men。
A short； bow…legged horseman with dusty garb and
sun…bleached face hobbled forth from the group。 He was not
young； but he had a boyish grin and bright little eyes。
Awkwardly he doffed his slouch sombrero。
〃Jeff； shake hands with my nieces；〃 said Al。 〃This 's Helen；
an' your boss from now on。 An' this 's Bo； fer short。 Her
name was Nancy； but when she