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before I come here。 An' I've been drunk only once。 Back at
Las Vegas the outfit would never believe thet。 Wal； I
promised Bo I wouldn't do it again； an' I've kept my word。〃
〃That is fine of you。 But tell me； why is she angry now？〃
〃Bo makes up to all the fellars；〃 confessed Carmichael；
hanging his head。 〃I took her to the dance last week over
in the town…hall。 Thet's the first time she'd gone anywhere
with me。 I shore was proud。 。 。 。 But thet dance was hell。
Bo carried on somethin' turrible； an' I 〃
〃Tell me。 What did she do？〃 demanded Helen； anxiously。 〃I'm
responsible for her。 I've got to see that she behaves。〃
〃Aw； I ain't sayin' she didn't behave like a lady；〃 replied
Carmichael。 〃It was she wal； all them fellars are
fools over her an' Bo wasn't true to me。〃
〃My dear boy； is Bo engaged to you？〃
〃Lord if she only was！〃 he sighed。
〃Then how can you say she wasn't true to you？ Be
reasonable。〃
〃I reckon now； Miss Nell； thet no one can be in love an' act
reasonable；〃 rejoined the cowboy。 〃I don't know how to
explain； but the fact is I feel thet Bo has played the
the devil with me an' all the other fellars。〃
〃You mean she has flirted？〃
〃I reckon。〃
〃Las Vegas； I'm afraid you're right；〃 said Helen； with
growing apprehension。 〃Go on。 Tell me what's happened。〃
〃Wal； thet Turner boy； who rides for Beasley； he was hot
after Bo；〃 returned Carmichael； and he spoke as if memory
hurt him。 〃Reckon I've no use for Turner。 He's a
fine…lookin'； strappin'； big cow…puncher； an' calculated to
win the girls。 He brags thet he can； an' I reckon he's
right。 Wal； he was always hangin' round Bo。 An' he stole one
of my dances with Bo。 I only had three； an' he comes up to
say this one was his； Bo； very innocent oh； she's a cute
one！ she says； 'Why； Mister Turner is it really
yours？' An' she looked so full of joy thet when he says to
me； 'Excoose us； friend Carmichael；' I sat there like a
locoed jackass an' let them go。 But I wasn't mad at thet。 He
was a better dancer than me an' I wanted her to have a good
time。 What started the hell was I seen him put his arm round
her when it wasn't just time； accordin' to the dance； an' Bo
she didn't break any records gettin' away from him。 She
pushed him away after a little after I near died。 Wal；
on the way home I had to tell her。 I shore did。 An' she said
what I'd love to forget。 Then then； Miss Nell； I grabbed
her it was outside here by the porch an' all bright
moonlight I grabbed her an' hugged an' kissed her good。
When I let her go I says； sorta brave； but I was plumb
scared I says； 〃Wal； are you goin' to marry me now？'〃
He concluded with a gulp； and looked at Helen with woe in
his eyes。
〃Oh！ What did Bo do？〃 breathlessly queried Helen。
〃She slapped me；〃 he replied。 〃An' then she says； I did like
you best； but NOW I hate you！' An' she slammed the door in
my face。〃
〃I think you made a great mistake；〃 said Helen； gravely。
〃Wal； if I thought so I'd beg her forgiveness。 But I reckon
I don't。 What's more； I feel better than before。 I'm only a
cowboy an' never was much good till I met her。 Then I
braced。 I got to havin' hopes； studyin' books； an' you know
how I've been lookin' into this ranchin' game。 I stopped
drinkin' an' saved my money。 Wal； she knows all thet。 Once
she said she was proud of me。 But it didn't seem to count
big with her。 An' if it can't count big I don't want it to
count at all。 I reckon the madder Bo is at me the more
chance I've got。 She knows I love her thet I'd die for
her thet I'm a changed man。 An' she knows I never before
thought of darin' to touch her hand。 An' she knows she
flirted with Turner。〃
〃She's only a child；〃 replied Helen。 〃And all this change
the West the wildness and you boys making much of her
why； it's turned her head。 But Bo will come out of it
true blue。 She is good； loving。 Her heart is gold。〃
〃I reckon I know； an' my faith can't be shook；〃 rejoined
Carmichael； simply。 〃But she ought to believe thet she'll
make bad blood out here。 The West is the West。 Any kind of
girls are scarce。 An' one like Bo Lord！ we cowboys never
seen none to compare with her。 She'll make bad blood an'
some of it will be spilled。〃
〃Uncle Al encourages her；〃 said Helen； apprehensively。 〃It
tickles him to hear how the boys are after her。 Oh； she
doesn't tell him。 But he hears。 And I； who must stand in
mother's place to her； what can I do？〃
〃Miss Nell； are you on my side？〃 asked the cowboy；
wistfully。 He was strong and elemental； caught in the toils
of some power beyond him。
Yesterday Helen might have hesitated at that question。 But
to…day Carmichael brought some proven quality of loyalty；
some strange depth of rugged sincerity； as if she had
learned his future worth。
〃Yes； I am；〃 Helen replied； earnestly。 And she offered her
hand。
〃Wal； then it 'll shore turn out happy；〃 he said； squeezing
her hand。 His smile was grateful； but there was nothing in
it of the victory he hinted at。 Some of his ruddy color had
gone。 〃An' now I want to tell you why I come。〃
He had lowered his voice。 〃Is Al asleep？〃 he whispered。
〃Yes；〃 replied Helen。 〃He was a little while ago。〃
〃Reckon I'd better shut his door。〃
Helen watched the cowboy glide across the room and carefully
close the door； then return to her with intent eyes。 She
sensed events in his look； and she divined suddenly that he
must feel as if he were her brother。
〃Shore I'm the one thet fetches all the bad news to you；〃 he
said； regretfully。
Helen caught her breath。 There had indeed been many little
calamities to mar her management of the ranch loss of
cattle； horses； sheep the desertion of herders to Beasley
failure of freighters to arrive when most needed
fights among the cowboys and disagreements over
long…arranged deals。
〃Your uncle Al makes a heap of this here Jeff Mulvey；〃
asserted Carmichael。
〃Yes； indeed。 Uncle absolutely relies on Jeff；〃 replied
Helen。
〃Wal； I hate to tell you； Miss Nell；〃 said the cowboy；
bitterly； 〃thet Mulvey ain't the man he seems。〃
〃Oh； what do you mean？〃
〃When your uncle dies Mulvey is goin' over to Beasley an'
he's goin' to take all the fellars who'll stick to him。〃
〃Could Jeff be so faithless after so many years my
uncle's foreman？ Oh； how do you know？〃
〃Reckon I guessed long ago。 But wasn't shore。 Miss Nell；
there's a lot in the wind lately； as poor old Al grows
weaker。 Mulvey has been particular friendly to me an' I've
nursed him along； 'cept I wouldn't drink。 An' his pards have
been particular friends with me； too； more an' more as I
loosened up。 You see； they was shy of me when I first got
here。 To…day the whole deal showed clear to me like a hoof
track in soft ground。 Bud Lewis； who's bunked with me； come
out an' tried to win me over to Beasley soon as
Auchincloss dies。 I palavered with Bud an' I wanted to know。
But Bud would only say he was goin' along with Jeff an'
others of the outfit。 I told him I'd reckon over it an' let
him know。 He thinks I'll come round。〃
〃Why why will these men leave me when when O