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surely urged her horse on faster。
Then the swift pace slackened。 A windfall of timber delayed
Helen。 She caught a glimpse of Dale far ahead； climbing a
slope。 The forest seemed full of his ringing yell。 Helen
strangely wished for level ground and the former swift
motion。 Next she saw Bo working down to the right； and
Dale's yell now came from that direction。 Helen followed；
got out of the timber； and made better time on a gradual
slope down to another park。
When she reached the open she saw Bo almost across this
narrow open ground。 Here Helen did not need to urge her
mount。 He snorted and plunged at the level and he got to
going so fast that Helen would have screamed aloud in
mingled fear and delight if she had not been breathless。
Her horse had the bad luck to cross soft ground。 He went to
his knees and Helen sailed out of the saddle over his head。
Soft willows and wet grass broke her fall。 She was surprised
to find herself unhurt。 Up she bounded and certainly did not
know this new Helen Rayner。 Her horse was coming； and he had
patience with her； but he wanted to hurry。 Helen made the
quickest mount of her experience and somehow felt a pride in
it。 She would tell Bo that。 But just then Bo flashed into
the woods out of sight。 Helen fairly charged into that green
foliage； breaking brush and branches。 She broke through into
open forest。 Bo was inside； riding down an aisle between
pines and spruces。 At that juncture Helen heard Dale's
melodious yell near at hand。 Coming into still more open
forest； with rocks here and there； she saw Dale dismounted
under a pine； and Pedro standing with fore paws upon the
tree…trunk； and then high up on a branch a huge tawny
colored lion； just like Tom。
Bo's horse slowed up and showed fear； but he kept on as far
as Dale's horse。 But Helen's refused to go any nearer。 She
had difficulty in halting him。 Presently she dismounted and；
throwing her bridle over a stump； she ran on； panting and
fearful； yet tingling all over； up to her sister and Dale。
〃Nell； you did pretty good for a tenderfoot；〃 was Bo's
greeting。
〃It was a fine chase；〃 said Dale。 〃You both rode well。 I
wish you could have seen the lion on the ground。 He bounded
great long bounds with his tail up in the air very
funny。 An' Pedro almost caught up with him。 That scared me；
because he would have killed the hound。 Pedro was close to
him when he treed。 An' there he is the yellow
deer…killer。 He's a male an' full grown。〃
With that Dale pulled his rifle from its saddle…sheath and
looked expectantly at Bo。 But she was gazing with great
interest and admiration up at the lion。
〃Isn't he just beautiful？〃 she burst out。 〃Oh； look at him
spit！ Just like a cat！ Dale； he looks afraid he might fall
off。〃
〃He sure does。 Lions are never sure of their balance in a
tree。 But I never saw one make a misstep。 He knows he
doesn't belong there。〃
To Helen the lion looked splendid perched up there。 He was
long and round and graceful and tawny。 His tongue hung out
and his plump sides heaved； showing what a quick； hard run
he had been driven to。 What struck Helen most forcibly about
him was something in his face as he looked down at the
hound。 He was scared。 He realized his peril。 It was not
possible for Helen to watch him killed； yet she could not
bring herself to beg Bo not to shoot。 Helen confessed she
was a tenderfoot。
〃Get down； Bo； an' let's see how good a shot you are； said
Dale。 Bo slowly withdrew her fascinated gaze from the lion
and looked with a rueful smile at Dale。
〃I've changed my mind。 I said I would kill him； but now I
can't。 He looks so so different from what I'd imagined。〃
Dale's answer was a rare smile of understanding and approval
that warmed Helen's heart toward him。 All the same； he was
amused。 Sheathing the gun； he mounted his horse。
〃Come on； Pedro；〃 he called。 〃Come； I tell you；〃 he added；
sharply； 〃Well； girls； we treed him； anyhow； an； it was fun。
Now we'll ride back to the deer he killed an' pack a haunch
to camp for our own use。〃
〃Will the lion go back to his his kill； I think you
called it？〃 asked Bo。
〃I've chased one away from his kill half a dozen times。
Lions are not plentiful here an' they don't get overfed。 I
reckon the balance is pretty even。〃
This last remark made Helen inquisitive。 And as they slowly
rode on the back…trail Dale talked。
〃You girls； bein' tender…hearted an' not knowin' the life of
the forest； what's good an' what's bad； think it was a pity
the poor deer was killed by a murderous lion。 But you're
wrong。 As I told you； the lion is absolutely necessary to
the health an' joy of wild life or deer's wild life； so
to speak。 When deer were created or came into existence；
then the lion must have come； too。 They can't live without
each other。 Wolves； now； are not particularly deer…killers。
They live off elk an' anythin' they can catch。 So will
lions； for that matter。 But I mean lions follow the deer to
an' fro from winter to summer feedin'…grounds。 Where there's
no deer you will find no lions。 Well； now； if left alone
deer would multiply very fast。 In a few years there would be
hundreds where now there's only one。 An' in time； as the
generations passed； they'd lose the fear； the alertness； the
speed an' strength； the eternal vigilance that is love of
life they'd lose that an' begin to deteriorate； an'
disease would carry them off。 I saw one season of
black…tongue among deer。 It killed them off； an' I believe
that is one of the diseases of over…production。 The lions；
now； are forever on the trail of the deer。 They have
learned。 Wariness is an instinct born in the fawn。 It makes
him keen； quick； active； fearful； an' so he grows up strong
an' healthy to become the smooth； sleek； beautiful；
soft…eyed； an' wild…lookin' deer you girls love to watch。
But if it wasn't for the lions； the deer would not thrive。
Only the strongest an' swiftest survive。 That is the meanin'
of nature。 There is always a perfect balance kept by nature。
It may vary in different years； but on the whole； in the
long years； it averages an even balance。〃
〃How wonderfully you put it！〃 exclaimed Bo； with all her
impulsiveness。 〃Oh； I'm glad I didn't kill the lion。〃
〃What you say somehow hurts me；〃 said Helen； wistfully； to
the hunter。 〃I see I feel how true how inevitable it
is。 But it changes my my feelings。 Almost I'd rather not
acquire such knowledge as yours。 This balance of nature
how tragic how sad！〃
〃But why？〃 asked Dale。 〃You love birds； an' birds are the
greatest killers in the forest。〃
〃Don't tell me that don't prove it；〃 implored Helen。 It
is not so much the love of life in a deer or any creature；
and the terrible clinging to life； that gives me distress。
It is suffering。 I can't bear to see pain。 I can STAND pain
myself； but I can't BEAR to see or think of it。〃
〃Well；〃 replied。 Dale； thoughtfully； 〃There you stump me
again。 I've lived long in the forest an' when a man's alone
he does a heap of thinkin'。 An' always I couldn't understand
a reason or a meanin' for pain。 Of all the bafflin' things
of life； that is the hardest to understand an' to forgive
pain！〃
That evening； as they sat in restful places round the
camp…fire； with the still twilight fading into night； Dale
seriously asked the girls what the day's chase had meant to
them。 His manner of asking was productive of thought。 Both
girls were silent for a moment。
〃Glorious！〃 was Bo's brief and eloquent reply。
〃Why？〃 asked。 Dale； curiously。 〃You are a girl。 You've been
used to home； people； love； comfort； safety； quiet。〃
〃Maybe that is just why it was glorious；〃 said Bo；
earnestly。 〃I can hardly explain。 I loved the motion of the
horse； the feel of wind in my face； the smell of the pine；
the sight of slope and forest glade and windfall and rocks；
and the black shade under the spruces。 My blood beat and
burned。 My teeth clicked。 My nerves all quivered。 My heart
sometimes； at dangerous moments； almost choked me； and all
the time it pounded hard。 Now my skin was hot and then it
was cold。 But I thin