by H. A. Cody
CHAPTER XII
THE GIRL OF GLEN WEST
When Glen Weston reached the top of the hill that afternoon of herencounter with the grizzly, she reined in Midnight and swung himsharply around. She was confident that she could not be seen from thevalley below, as a large projecting rock hid her from view. She was inno hurry to leave the place, and several times she was tempted todismount, peer around the rock to see if her rescuer were still at thebottom of the trail. She refrained from doing so, however, lest hemight see her, and thus be induced to follow her.
Glen was not a girl to be easily affected, but she had to acknowledgeto herself that the gallant stranger interested her in an unusualmanner. He was not like the men she was in the habit of meeting. Hewas different and so courteous. And he was good looking, too, shemused. He had also been at the Front! That appealed to her, andaroused her curiosity. What had he done over there? she wondered. Hadhe performed special deeds of daring, and carried off any medals?
For some time she remained there facing the west. The sun was ridingover the distant mountain peaks, and the whole landscape was bathed inresplendent glory. Midnight was standing close to the rocky ledge,with ears pointed forward and his large eyes turned to the left. Hisbody was still quivering, and every nerve was keenly alert.Occasionally his right fore-hoof struck the rock, indicating hisimpatience to be away. The slightest sound startled him, for he couldnot easily forget his encounter with the bear.
"Steady, laddie," Glen soothed, when he became more restless thanusual. "I know you are anxious to be off, but I like this place. Iwonder where we would be now but for that wonderful shot. Most likelywe would be lying down there in the ravine instead of the grizzly."
For about fifteen minutes longer she remained in this position,silently looking out toward the great mountains beyond. Had Reynoldsbut seen her then, how the artist soul within him would have rejoiced.With a remarkable grace and ease she sat there, as one well accustomedto the saddle. Her left hand held the reins, and her right theriding-whip. Her soft felt hat, caught up at one side, partly shadedher face. A deep flush mantled her cheeks, due not to the reflectionof the sun alone, but to buoyant health, and the excitement throughwhich she had just passed.
Almost wistfully she at length wheeled her horse and headed him awayfrom the summit. Midnight needed no urging, and the light ofsatisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he sped swiftly and nimbly alongthe narrow trail. No guiding hand directed him, and the reins layloose upon his glossy neck, for his mistress' mind was elsewhere. Attimes he was compelled to slow down to a walk where the rocks werethick, or the trail steep and dangerous. But whenever possible, suchas on the wild meadows, he laid back his ears and sped like the wind.This always aroused Glen and brought her back to earth. She enjoyedsuch races, and when they were over, she would pat Midnight on the neckand utter affectionate words of praise. Horse and rider understoodeach other, which feeling had been developed through years ofcompanionship on many a hard trail.
For over an hour they thus moved steadily onward, and at length thereloomed before them the high frowning ridge of the Golden Crest. Atfirst it seemed to form an impassable barrier to their advance. But asthey continued, an opening suddenly appeared, flanked on either side byhuge projecting rocks. It was Nature's great doorway in one of themighty partitions of the house not made with hands. Through thisMidnight speedily loped and ere long swept out upon a wild meadow whichextended to the left farther than the eye could see, and over a mile inwidth. Horses were feeding here, and at once Midnight lifted up hisvoice in a friendly neigh of salutation, which was immediately answeredby several horses in the distance. In fact, he was on the point ofslowing down and swerving from the trail, but a light flick of the whipreminded him that his mistress had other business on hand which had tobe attended to first, so again throwing back his ears, he dashed onward.
The wild meadow crossed, they reached a wooded region where the trailascended and wound up a steep hill. Midnight took this with a bound,and in a few minutes he was at the top, panting heavily from hisvigorous exercise. Here Glen reined him in, and sat silently lookingstraight before her. And truly it was a magnificent scene which wasthus so suddenly presented to her view. Below stretched a denseforest, lying sombre beneath the shades of evening. Away in thedistance rose the mighty mountains, sentinel-like and austere, whilebetween, flashing like a jewel in its dark stern setting, was a largebody of water. Not a ripple ruffled its surface, and nothing couldGlen discern there, although her eyes scanned it most intently.
A word to Midnight, and down the incline they moved, and in a shorttime emerged from the forest, when a large open clearing burst intoview. To a stranger the sight would have been startling, for a shortdistance away was a neat village, close to the water's edge. But toGlen it was not at all out of the ordinary. She had been accustomed toit from childhood, and to her it was home.
The village consisted of well built log houses, at the doors of whichchildren were playing, and dogs lying around. The former smiled as thegirl rode by. She did not stop as was her wont, to talk to them, butat once made her way to a building larger than the others. This was astore, in front of which a number of Indians were gathered.
As Glen rode up and stopped, a tall, powerfully built native came forthand laid his hand upon the horse's bridle. It was the same IndianReynolds had seen that night at the dance in Whitehorse. He wasevidently accustomed to waiting upon Glen, and needed no instructions.But on this occasion the girl did not dismount. She merely leaned overand whispered a few words to her attendant, who simply nodded, and lethis hand drop from the bridle. Then as Glen continued on her way, hewalked by her side through the street, up along the water-front.
In a few minutes they passed from the village and entered a grove oftrees which extended down to the shore of the lake. In the midst ofthis was a clearing, and situated here was a log building of generousproportions, well made, and altogether different from the rest in thesettlement. It was a two-story building, facing the water, with largewindows, and a spacious verandah sweeping around the front and bothsides. Wherever it was possible, paint had been liberally applied, andthe white on the sashes, the green on the corner-boards, and the red onthe roof gave it a striking appearance. It might well have been thehome of some millionaire, who had thus sought seclusion in thewilderness, adding to his domicile a few touches of the world ofcivilization.
The grounds were well kept, showing that much attention had beenbestowed upon them. Flowers bloomed in profusion, and off to the lefta vegetable garden showed what the north could produce. A gravellywalk led to the water, and here at a small wharf floated a motor-boat,graceful in appearance, and capable of carrying passengers and freight.Several Indian men were standing on the wharf, while others, includingwomen and children, were paddling in canoes but a short distance away.It was a scene of peace and seclusion, a regular fairy-land nestlingthere in the wilds. Even the storms of winter could not affect theplace, for besides the sheltering trees which surrounded it on allsides, the frowning ridge of the Golden Crest formed a mighty barrierto the rear.
But Glen noticed none of these things, for something else occupied hermind this evening. She had remained silent since leaving the store,but now that the house was in sight, she halted Midnight at the edge ofthe woods and looked at her Indian companion.
"Is daddy home yet?" she asked, speaking in the rhythmical nativelanguage with which she was so familiar.
"Not home," was the brief reply.
"He said that he might come to-day, didn't he?"
The Indian, merely nodded.
"He has been gone for nearly a week now," Glen continued, "and I wonderwhat can be keeping him. Do you think he will come to-night?"
"Sconda doesn't know. Big white chief alone knows."
Glen laughed and stroked Midnight's neck with an impatient hand.
"I guess you are right, Sconda. Daddy alone knows what he is going todo, for he never tells me, at
any rate. But as he is not here I musttake matters into my own hands. You know Deep Gulch beyond the GoldenCrest?" and she motioned to the left.
Again the Indian nodded.
"Well, then, there is a dead bear in the Gulch, Sconda, and I want youto take men and bring it in, see?"
A new light now shone in the native's eyes, and he looked enquiringlyinto the girl's face.
"Bear?" he asked. "In Deep Gulch?"
"Yes, and a grizzly at that; a monster. Oh, it was terrible!" and Glenshivered as the recollection of the brute's fierce charge swept uponher.
"Bear dead, eh?" Sconda queried.
"Yes, dead, and lying in the ravine, half covered with earth and rocks.Go down Crooked Trail to the bottom, then up the gulch, and you willfind it."
"Who shoot grizzly?" the Indian asked.
"A white man. And, oh, Sconda, you should have seen what a shot hemade! It was wonderful! I am sure you never did anything like it."
"Greater than Sconda made at Saku, when he shot grizzly, and savedInjun, eh?"
"Greater? Listen, Sconda. That white man shot the grizzly from theother side of Deep Gulch. He was way up on the hill, and he hit thebear in the heart."
The Indian's eyes showed his astonishment as he studied the girl's faceas if to make sure that she was telling the truth.
"It is true, Sconda. I was there and saw him do it."
"What was bear doing?"
"Coming at me for all it was worth, and Midnight was almost franticwith fright. If it hadn't been for that white man we would be downthere now where that grizzly is lying."
"And you want Sconda to fetch bear to camp, eh?"
"I do. Take as many men as you need and go in the morning. Tell thewomen to be ready to prepare the meat. And, Sconda, I want you to lookafter the dressing of the skin. Get Klota to do it. Tell her it isfor me, and she will understand. That is all, I guess."
Glen dismounted, and handed the reins to the Indian.
"Midnight is hungry, Sconda. Look after him yourself, and see that hegets a good bite of grass. And, Sconda," she added, as if anafterthought, "you will be sure to go with the men in the morning?"
"Ah, ah, Sconda will go."
"That's good. And I want you to do something for me. Keep a sharpwatch to see if that white man comes again to Deep Gulch. You will,won't you?"
"Sconda will watch."
"But don't let him think you are watching, remember. You stay behindwhen the others have brought the bear home. But don't let the whiteman see you."
Into Sconda's eyes flashed an expression of understanding. He knew nowwhat the girl meant. What would he not do for her? the white girl hehad known since she was but a child, and whose word to him was law, notof force but of affection.
"Now, don't forget, Sconda," Glen warned. "Stay there, if necessary,until night, and watch him carefully from the top of Crooked Trail.And don't tell anybody, not even Klota. Her eyes and ears are sharp,and she might suspect something. This is the greatest secret I haveever had. You have never failed me yet, Sconda, and I know that I cantrust you now."