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that devil？〃
〃I am； yes； so far as it concerns my conscience；〃 rejoined
Helen； earnestly。 〃I never appreciated him as he deserved
not until now。 He's a man； Bo； every inch of him。 I've seen
him grow up to that in three months。 I'd never have gotten
along without him。 I think he's fine； manly； big。 I 〃
〃I'll bet he's made love to you； too；〃 replied Bo；
woefully。
〃Talk sense；〃 said Helen； sharply。 〃He has been a brother to
me。 But； Bo Rayner； if he HAD made love to me I I might
have appreciated it more than you。〃
Bo raised her face； flushed in part and also pale； with
tear…wet cheeks and the telltale blaze in the blue eyes。
〃I've been wild about that fellow。 But I hate him； too；〃 she
said； with flashing spirit。 〃And I want to go on hating him。
So don't tell me any more。〃
Whereupon Helen briefly and graphically related how
Carmichael had offered to kill Beasley； as the only way to
save her property； and how； when she refused； that he
threatened he would do it anyhow。
Bo fell over with a gasp and clung to Helen。
〃Oh Nell！ Oh； now I love him more than ever；〃 she
cried； in mingled rage and despair。
Helen clasped her closely and tried to comfort her as in the
old days； not so very far back； when troubles were not so
serious as now。
〃Of course you love him；〃 she concluded。 〃I guessed that
long ago。 And I'm glad。 But you've been wilful foolish。
You wouldn't surrender to it。 You wanted your fling with the
other boys。 You're Oh； Bo； I fear you have been a sad
little flirt。〃
〃I I wasn't very bad till till he got bossy。 Why；
Nell； he acted right off just as if he OWNED me。 But
he didn't。 。 。 。 And to show him I I really did flirt
with that Turner fellow。 Then he he insulted me。 。 。 。
Oh； I hate him！〃
〃Nonsense； Bo。 You can't hate any one while you love him；〃
protested Helen。
〃Much you know about that；〃 flashed Bo。 〃You just can！ Look
here。 Did you ever see a cowboy rope and throw and tie up a
mean horse？〃
〃Yes； I have。〃
〃Do you have any idea how strong a cowboy is how his
hands and arms are like iron？〃
〃Yes； I'm sure I know that； too。〃
〃And how savage he is？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And how he goes at anything he wants to do？〃
〃I must admit cowboys are abrupt；〃 responded Helen； with a
smile。
〃Well； Miss Rayner； did you ever when you were standing
quiet like a lady did you ever have a cowboy dive at you
with a terrible lunge grab you and hold you so you
couldn't move or breathe or scream hug you till all your
bones cracked and kiss you so fierce and so hard that you
wanted to kill him and die？
Helen had gradually drawn back from this blazing…eyed；
eloquent sister； and when the end of that remarkable
question came it was impossible to reply。
〃There！ I see you never had that done to you；〃 resumed Bo；
with satisfaction。 〃So don't ever talk to me。〃
〃I've heard his side of the story；〃 said Helen；
constrainedly。
With a start Bo sat up straighter； as if better to defend
herself。
〃Oh！ So you have？ And I suppose you'll take his part even
about that that bearish trick。〃
〃No。 I think that rude and bold。 But； Bo； I don't believe he
meant to be either rude or bold。 From what he confessed to
me I gather that he believed he'd lose you outright or win
you outright by that violence。 It seems girls can't play at
love out here in this wild West。 He said there would be
blood shed over you。 I begin to realize what he meant。 He's
not sorry for what he did。 Think how strange that is。 For he
has the instincts of a gentleman。 He's kind； gentle；
chivalrous。 Evidently he had tried every way to win your
favor except any familiar advance。 He did that as a last
resort。 In my opinion his motives were to force you to
accept or refuse him； and in case you refused him he'd
always have those forbidden stolen kisses to assuage his
self…respect when he thought of Turner or any one else
daring to be familiar with you。 Bo； I see through
Carmichael； even if I don't make him clear to you。 You've
got to be honest with yourself。 Did that act of his win or
lose you？ In other words； do you love him or not？〃
Bo hid her face。
〃Oh； Nell！ it made me see how I loved him and that made
me so so sick I hated him。 。 。 。 But now the hate is
all gone。〃
CHAPTER XVII
When spring came at last and the willows drooped green and
fresh over the brook and the range rang with bray of burro
and whistle of stallion； old Al Auchincloss had been a month
in his grave。
To Helen it seemed longer。 The month had been crowded with
work； events； and growing； more hopeful duties； so that it
contained a world of living。 The uncle had not been
forgotten； but the innumerable restrictions to development
and progress were no longer manifest。 Beasley had not
presented himself or any claim upon Helen； and she；
gathering confidence day by day； began to believe all that
purport of trouble had been exaggerated。
In this time she had come to love her work and all that
pertained to it。 The estate was large。 She had no accurate
knowledge of how many acres she owned； but it was more than
two thousand。 The fine； old； rambling ranch…house； set like
a fort on the last of the foot…hills； corrals and fields and
barns and meadows； and the rolling green range beyond； and
innumerable sheep； horses； cattle all these belonged to
Helen； to her ever…wondering realization and ever…growing
joy。 Still； she was afraid to let herself go and be
perfectly happy。 Always there was the fear that had been too
deep and strong to forget so soon。
This bright； fresh morning； in March； Helen came out upon
the porch to revel a little in the warmth of sunshine and
the crisp； pine…scented wind that swept down from the
mountains。 There was never a morning that she did not gaze
mountainward； trying to see； with a folly she realized； if
the snow had melted more perceptibly away on the bold white
ridge。 For all she could see it had not melted an inch； and
she would not confess why she sighed。 The desert had become
green and fresh； stretching away there far below her range；
growing dark and purple in the distance with vague buttes
rising。 The air was full of sound notes of blackbirds and
the baas of sheep； and blasts from the corrals； and the
clatter of light hoofs on the court below。
Bo was riding in from the stables。 Helen loved to watch her
on one of those fiery little mustangs； but the sight was
likewise given to rousing apprehensions。 This morning Bo
appeared particularly bent on frightening Helen。 Down the
lane Carmichael appeared； waving his arms； and Helen at once
connected him with Bo's manifest desire to fly away from
that particular place。 Since that day； a month back； when Bo
had confessed her love for Carmichael； she and Helen had not
spoken of it or of the cowboy。 The boy and girl were still
at odds。 But this did not worry Helen。 Bo had changed much
for the better； especially in that she devoted herself to
Helen and to her work。 Helen knew that all would turn out
well in the end； and so she had been careful of her rather
precarious position between these two young fire