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！
the gang。 All of a sudden every man there shore seen in Las
Vegas what Riggs had always bragged HE was。 Thet time comes
to every man like Riggs。
〃'What 'd you call me？' he asked； his jaw shakin'。
〃'I 'ain't called you yet；' answered Las Vegas。 'I just
whooped。'
〃'What d'ye want？'
〃'You scared my girl。'
〃'The hell ye say！ Who's she？' blustered Riggs； an' he began
to take quick looks 'round。 But he never moved a hand。 There
was somethin' tight about the way he stood。 Las Vegas had
both arms half out； stretched as if he meant to leap。 But he
wasn't。 I never seen Las Vegas do thet； but when I seen him
then I understood it。
〃'You know。 An' you threatened her an' her sister。 Go for
your gun；' called Las Vegas； low an' sharp。
〃Thet put the crowd right an' nobody moved。 Riggs turned
green then。 I almost felt sorry for him。 He began to shake
so he'd dropped a gun if he had pulled one。
〃'Hyar； you're off some mistake I 'ain't seen no gurls
I '
〃'Shut up an' draw！' yelled Las Vegas。 His voice just
pierced holes in the roof； an' it might have been a bullet
from the way Riggs collapsed。 Every man seen in a second
more thet Riggs wouldn't an' couldn't draw。 He was afraid
for his life。 He was not what he had claimed to be。 I don't
know if he had any friends there。 But in the West good men
an' bad men； all alike； have no use for Riggs's kind。 An'
thet stony quiet broke with haw haw。 It shore was as
pitiful to see Riggs as it was fine to see Las Vegas。
〃When he dropped his arms then I knowed there would be no
gun…play。 An' then Las Vegas got red in the face。 He slapped
Riggs with one hand； then with the other。 An' he began to
cuss him。 I shore never knowed thet nice…spoken Las Vegas
Carmichael could use such language。 It was a stream of the
baddest names known out here； an' lots I never heard of。 Now
an' then I caught somethin' like low…down an' sneak an'
four…flush an' long…haired skunk； but for the most part they
was just the cussedest kind of names。 An' Las Vegas spouted
them till he was black in the face； an' foamin' at the
mouth； an' hoarser 'n a bawlin' cow。
〃When he got out of breath from cussin' he punched Riggs all
about the saloon； threw him outdoors； knocked him down an'
kicked him till he got kickin' him down the road with the
whole haw…hawed gang behind。 An' he drove him out of town！〃
CHAPTER XVIII
For two days Bo was confined to her bed； suffering
considerable pain； and subject to fever； during which she
talked irrationally。 Some of this talk afforded Helen as
vast an amusement as she was certain it would have lifted
Tom Carmichael to a seventh heaven。
The third day； however； Bo was better； and； refusing to
remain in bed； she hobbled to the sitting…room； where she
divided her time between staring out of the window toward
the corrals and pestering Helen with questions she tried to
make appear casual。 But Helen saw through her case and was
in a state of glee。 What she hoped most for was that
Carmichael would suddenly develop a little less inclination
for Bo。 It was that kind of treatment the young lady needed。
And now was the great opportunity。 Helen almost felt tempted
to give the cowboy a hint。
Neither this day； nor the next； however； did he put in an
appearance at the house； though Helen saw him twice on her
rounds。 He was busy； as usual； and greeted her as if nothing
particular had happened。
Roy called twice； once in the afternoon； and again during
the evening。 He grew more likable upon longer acquaintance。
This last visit he rendered Bo speechless by teasing her
about another girl Carmichael was going to take to a dance。
Bo's face showed that her vanity could not believe this
statement； but that her intelligence of young men credited
it with being possible。 Roy evidently was as penetrating as
he was kind。 He made a dry； casual little remark about the
snow never melting on the mountains during the latter part
of March； and the look with which be accompanied this remark
brought a blush to Helen's cheek。
After Roy had departed Bo said to Helen： 〃Confound that
fellow！ He sees right through me。〃
〃My dear； you're rather transparent these days；〃 murmured
Helen。
〃You needn't talk。 He gave you a dig；〃 retorted Bo。 〃He just
knows you're dying to see the snow melt。〃
〃Gracious！ I hope I'm not so bad as that。 Of course I want
the snow melted and spring to come； and flowers 〃
〃Hal Ha！ Ha！〃 taunted Bo。 〃Nell Rayner； do you see any green
in my eyes？ Spring to come！ Yes； the poet said in the spring
a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love。 But
that poet meant a young woman。〃
Helen gazed out of the window at the white stars。
〃Nell； have you seen him since I was hurt？〃 continued Bo；
with an effort。
〃Him？ Who？〃
〃Oh； whom do you suppose？ I mean Tom！〃 she responded； and
the last word came with a burst。
〃Tom？ Who's he？ Ah； you mean Las Vegas。 Yes； I've seen him。〃
〃Well； did he ask a…about me？〃
〃I believe he did ask how you were something like that。〃
〃Humph！ Nell； I don't always trust you。〃 After that she
relapsed into silence； read awhile； and dreamed awhile；
looking into the fire； and then she limped over to kiss
Helen good night and left the room。
Next day she was rather quiet； seeming upon the verge of one
of the dispirited spells she got infrequently。 Early in the
evening； just after the lights had been lit and she had
joined Helen in the sitting…room； a familiar step sounded on
the loose boards of the porch。
Helen went to the door to admit Carmichael。 He was
clean…shaven； dressed in his dark suit； which presented such
marked contrast from his riding…garb； and he wore a flower
in his buttonhole。 Nevertheless； despite all this style； he
seemed more than usually the cool； easy； careless cowboy。
〃Evenin'； Miss Helen；〃 he said； as he stalked in。 〃Evenin'；
Miss Bo。 How are you…all？〃
Helen returned his greeting with a welcoming smile。
〃Good evening TOM；〃 said Bo； demurely。
That assuredly was the first time she had ever called him
Tom。 As she spoke she looked distractingly pretty and
tantalizing。 But if she had calculated to floor Carmichael
with the initial； half…promising； wholly mocking use of his
name she had reckoned without cause。 The cowboy received
that greeting as if he had heard her use it a thousand times
or had not heard it at all。 Helen decided if he was acting a
part he was certainly a clever actor。 He puzzled her
somewhat； but she liked his look； and his easy manner； and
the something about him that must have been his unconscious
sense of pride。 He had gone far enough； perhaps too far； in
his overtures to Bo。
〃How are you feelin'？〃 be asked。
〃I'm better to…day；〃 she replied； with downcast eyes。 〃But
I'm lame yet。〃
〃Reckon that bronc piled you up。 Miss Helen said there shore
wasn't any joke about the cut on your knee。 Now； a fellar's
knee is a bad place to hurt； if he has to keep on ridin'。〃
〃Oh； I'll be well soon。 How's Sam？ I hope he wasn't
crippled。〃
〃Thet Sam why； he's so tough he never knowed he had a
fall。〃
〃Tom I I want to t