按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Mr。 Riggs； I'll carry my bag；〃 she said。
〃Let me lug this。 You help Bo with hers；〃 he replied；
familiarly。
〃But I want it；〃 she rejoined； quietly； with sharp
determination。 No little force was needed to pull the bag
away from Riggs。
〃See here； Helen； you ain't goin' any farther with that
joke； are you？〃 he queried； deprecatingly； and he still
spoke quite loud。
〃It's no joke to me；〃 replied Helen。 〃I told you I didn't
want your attention。〃
〃Sure。 But that was temper。 I'm your friend from your
home town。 An' I ain't goin' to let a quarrel keep me from
lookin' after you till you're safe at your uncle's。〃
Helen turned her back upon him。 The tall hunter had just
helped Bo off the car。 Then Helen looked up into a smooth
bronzed face and piercing gray eyes。
〃Are you Helen Rayner？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃My name's Dale。 I've come to meet you。〃
〃Ah！ My uncle sent you？〃 added Helen； in quick relief。
〃No； I can't say Al sent me；〃 began the man； 〃but I reckon
〃
He was interrupted by Riggs； who； grasping Helen by the arm；
pulled her back a step。
〃Say； mister； did Auchincloss send you to meet my young
friends here？〃 he demanded； arrogantly。
Dale's glance turned from Helen to Riggs。 She could not read
this quiet gray gaze； but it thrilled her。
〃No。 I come on my own hook；〃 he answered。
〃You'll understand； then they're in my charge；〃 added
Riggs。
This time the steady light…gray eyes met Helen's； and if
there was not a smile in them or behind them she was still
further baffled。
〃Helen； I reckon you said you didn't want this fellow's
attention。〃
〃I certainly said that；〃 replied Helen； quickly。 Just then
Bo slipped close to her and gave her arm a little squeeze。
Probably Bo's thought was like hers here was a real
Western man。 That was her first impression； and following
swiftly upon it was a sensation of eased nerves。
Riggs swaggered closer to Dale。
〃Say； Buckskin； I hail from Texas 〃
〃You're wastin' our time an' we've need to hurry；〃
interrupted Dale。 His tone seemed friendly。 〃An' if you ever
lived long in Texas you wouldn't pester a lady an' you sure
wouldn't talk like you do。〃
〃What！〃 shouted Riggs； hotly。 He dropped his right hand
significantly to his hip。
〃Don't throw your gun。 It might go off；〃 said Dale。
Whatever Riggs's intention had been and it was probably
just what Dale evidently had read it he now flushed an
angry red and jerked at his gun。
Dale's hand flashed too swiftly for Helen's eye to follow
it。 But she heard the thud as it struck。 The gun went flying
to the platform and scattered a group of Indians and
Mexicans。
〃You'll hurt yourself some day；〃 said Dale。
Helen had never heard a slow； cool voice like this hunter's。
Without excitement or emotion or hurry； it yet seemed full
and significant of things the words did not mean。 Bo uttered
a strange little exultant cry。
Riggs's arm had dropped limp。 No doubt it was numb。 He
stared； and his predominating expression was surprise。 As
the shuffling crowd began to snicker and whisper； Riggs gave
Dale a malignant glance； shifted it to Helen； and then
lurched away in the direction of his gun。
Dale did not pay any more attention to him。 Gathering up
Helen's baggage； he said； 〃Come on；〃 and shouldered a lane
through the gaping crowd。 The girls followed close at his
heels。
〃Nell！ what 'd I tell you？〃 whispered Bo。 〃Oh； you're all
atremble！〃
Helen was aware of her unsteadiness； anger and fear and
relief in quick succession had left her rather weak。 Once
through the motley crowd of loungers； she saw an old gray
stage…coach and four lean horses。 A grizzled； sunburned man
sat on the driver's seat； whip and reins in hand。 Beside him
was a younger man with rifle across his knees。 Another man；
young； tall； lean； dark； stood holding the coach door open。
He touched his sombrero to the girls。 His eyes were sharp as
he addressed Dale。
〃Milt； wasn't you held up？〃
〃No。 But some long…haired galoot was tryin' to hold up the
girls。 Wanted to throw his gun on me。 I was sure scared；〃
replied Dale； as he deposited the luggage。
Bo laughed。 Her eyes； resting upon Dale； were warm and
bright。 The young man at the coach door took a second look
at her； and then a smile changed the dark hardness of his
face。
Dale helped the girls up the high step into the stage； and
then； placing the lighter luggage； in with them； he threw
the heavier pieces on top
〃Joe； climb up；〃 he said。
〃Wal； Milt；〃 drawled the driver；〃 let's ooze along。〃
Dale hesitated； with his hand on the door。 He glanced at the
crowd； now edging close again； and then at Helen。
〃I reckon I ought to tell you；〃 he said； and indecision
appeared to concern him。
〃What？〃 exclaimed Helen。
〃Bad news。 But talkin' takes time。 An' we mustn't lose any。〃
〃There's need of hurry？〃 queried Helen； sitting up sharply。
〃I reckon。〃
〃Is this the stage to Snowdrop？
〃No。 That leaves in the mornin'。 We rustled this old trap to
get a start to…night。〃
〃The sooner the better。 But I I don't understand；〃 said
Helen； bewildered。
〃It'll not be safe for you to ride on the mornin' stage；〃
returned Dale。
〃Safe！ Oh； what do you mean？〃 exclaimed Helen。
Apprehensively she gazed at him and then back at Bo。
〃Explainin' will take time。 An' facts may change your mind。
But if you can't trust me 〃
〃Trust you！〃 interposed Helen； blankly。 〃You mean to take us
to Snowdrop？ 〃
〃I reckon we'd better go roundabout an' not hit Snowdrop；〃
he replied； shortly。
〃Then to Pine to my uncle Al Auchincloss？
〃Yes； I'm goin' to try hard。〃
Helen caught her breath。 She divined that some peril menaced
her。 She looked steadily； with all a woman's keenness； into
this man's face。 The moment was one of the fateful decisions
she knew the West had in store for her。 Her future and that
of Bo's were now to be dependent upon her judgments。 It was
a hard moment and； though she shivered inwardly； she
welcomed the initial and inevitable step。 This man Dale； by
his dress of buckskin； must be either scout or hunter。 His
size； his action； the tone of his voice had been reassuring。
But Helen must decide from what she saw in his face whether
or not to trust him。 And that face was clear bronze；
unlined； unshadowed； like a tranquil mask； clean…cut；
strong…jawed； with eyes of wonderful transparent gray。
〃Yes； I'll trust you；〃 she said。 〃Get in； and let us hurry。
Then you can explain。〃
〃All ready； Bill。 Send 'em along；〃 called Dale。
He had to stoop to enter the stage； and； once in； he
appeared to fill that side upon which he sat。 Then the
driver cracked his whip； the stage lurched and began to
roll； the motley crowd was left behind。 Helen awakened to
the reality； as she saw Bo staring with big eyes at the
hunter； that a stranger adventure than she had ever dreamed
of had began with the rattling roll of that old stage…coach。
Dale laid off his sombrero and leaned forward； holding his
rifle between his knees。 The light shone better upon his
features now that he was bareheaded。 Helen had never seen a
face like that； which at