The Man of the Forest

p to gaze, with thought

. 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

against the only one of all the honest white peop

Anson!... Well, he was right. Al Auchincloss is on his last legs.

meant to Dale that he

he mused. "Beasley wants her made off

hed. 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, bu

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

n if he did, he wouldn't believe me. Maybe nobody wi

from the loft and peered out of the door. The night had grown darker, windier, cooler; broken clouds were scudding across

at he procured a little bag of salt and some strips of dried meat. These strips he laid for a moment on the hot embers, unti

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

g to the loft, he stretched hi

was on his way, 'cross-cou

rks, the glades-and deeper, darker gray marked the aisles of the forest. Shadows lurked under the trees and the silence seemed consistent

and there was something in his blood that answered the whistle of a stag from a near-by ridge. His

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 noiseles

meat down to several old friends, who were glad to give him lodging. And, h

d 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

to 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 shot at the hindmost. His bullet struck low, as he had meant it to, but too low, and the coyote got only a dusting of earth and pine-needles thrown up into his face. This frightened him so that he leaped as

uching, silent detour around a clump of aspens. In a sunny patch of grass a dozen or more big gobblers stood, all suspiciously facing in his direction, heads erect, with that wild aspect peculiar to their species. Old wild turkey gobblers were the most difficult game to stalk

he forest level, from which he gazed down a league-long slope of pine and cedar, out upon the

oft. Fields of corn and fields of oats, yellow in the sunlight, surrounded the village; and green pastures, dotted with horses and cattle, reached away to the denser woodland. This site appeared to be a natural clearing, for ther

arden bordered with sunflowers. His call was answered by an old wo

it ain't Milt Dale!" sh

ss," he replied. "An' I'

a gobbler! First one I've seen this fall. My man Tom used to fetch h

ears before and had never returned. But the old w

an' yet come back," replied Dale,

know. Now, son, when last did yo

red, laughing, as he followed h

d, shaking her gray head. "Milt, you should giv

ays tell

u set there, an' pretty soon I'll give you

news, Auntie

she's wild when she gits loose in the woods. An' you'll have to track her, 'cause nobody else can. An' John Dakker's heifer was killed by a lion, an' Lem Harden's

woods, Auntie; safe, I re

ve had some stock stole this

sip and quaint philosophy, and it was exceedingly good to sit at her table. In his opinion, nowhere else could there have been such butter and cream, such ham

hincloss?" presen

around same as ever. Al's not long for this world.... An', M

laimed Dale, to encoura

is property. We've heard much of her-a purty lass, they say.... Now, Milt Dale, he

e, Auntie," repl

ow! Any girl would have you, Milt D

lf thoughtful. When he got back to civilization he al

then sometimes as old as the hills.... There's no young man to compare with y

be such a catch, aft

that's sure. But, Milt, the Auchin

said Dale, soberly. "I want no

an Injun all your days, Milt

ope

ll change you, boy, an' mebbe it'll be thi

ange me. She'd never change o

like you was good for pioneer settlements. Lord knows the good turns you've done this village! Milt, old Al doesn't a

om ever killed Al's sheep,

shaking her gray head doubtfully. "You never swore he didn't. A

ugar. An' they were

s, don't ever fetch him down here again! I'll never forgit the time you d

the tamest of my pets. Didn't he try to pu

ct better 'n a lot of people I know. Fer he did. But th

s all that

our sight. An' thet he'd trail an

im to be jus

home up in the wood

r to the old woman's talk; then, taking his rifle and th

ain, won't you-jest to see Al's

ay.... Auntie, have you seen

to," she retorted. "Milt Dale, if any

ften see me up in the woods an' ask me to help

rkin' for B

Dale, with a sudden s

's buildin' a fence, an' didn'

e, thoughtfully. "More sheep an' hor

hese parts, since poor old Al's took to failin'. I reckon Al's health ain't none improved by

fairs there in Pine. Dale, passing down the road, began to meet acquaintances who had hearty welcome for his presence and interest in his doings, so that his pondering was interrupted for the time being. He carried the turkey to another old friend, and when h

if it ain't Milt D

in! Right down glad to s

hore good for sore eyes

of them. Some believed him lazy; others believed him shiftless; others thought him an Indian in mind and habits; and there were many who called him slow-witted. Then there was another side to their regard for him, which always afforded him good-natured amusement. Two of this group asked him to bring in some turkey or venison; another wanted to hunt with him. Lem Harden came out of the store and appealed to Dale to recover his stolen horse.

f the two. "How lucky! My cow's sick, an' the men

" responded the ot

ed the first speaker. "When you git

why his infrequent visits to Pine were wo

the street, and when about to

he lightning glance he shot over Dale was not born of his pleasure. Seen in daylight, Beasley was a big, bold, bl

ok hands

e you,

re work than I can rustle. Reckon you wou

" replied Dale. "Th

n' on up in

dians have worked back on the south side early this f

ere 're you h

my camp," replied D

r found that yet," dec

there," s

ied Beasley, and there was a barely distinguishable shudder of h

d. An' I haven't

stays in your camp without bein' hog

he d

r trail me at night. Ain't sayin' I was scared. But I don't care

l hang ar

ee you any time. Some old huntin'

ey. I reckon I

step, and then, as if with an a

ey. A strong, ponderous cast of thought seemed to emanate from his features. Dale div

e all the news. Too bad a

. An' I'm sorry-though

t say that to me. Al Auchincloss always was the

ale a fleeting

nce feelin' on this range," returned Beasle

e, just as deliberately. The group of men exchanged surprised glances. This was

now?" he ask

s goin' on in Pin

the men

on-an' no mistake,

certainly never one in any way to cross his trail. But on the instant, perhaps, some inst

' it's goin' to come to me. Now I reckon people will be takin' sides-some for me an' some for Al. Most are for me....

reckon

sley, shortly, and he strode away with the ponderous g

ore at you," said Lem Harden. "He'

o step into Al's b

o stick up fer poor old A

ghed less heavily upon him, and the close-lipped course he had decided upon appeared wisest. He needed to think b