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！
crippled。〃
〃Thet Sam why； he's so tough he never knowed he had a
fall。〃
〃Tom I I want to thank you for giving Riggs what he
deserved。〃
She spoke it earnestly； eloquently； and for once she had no
sly little intonation or pert allurement； such as was her
wont to use on this infatuated young man。
〃Aw； you heard about that；〃 replied Carmichael； with a wave
of his hand to make light of it。 〃Nothin' much。 It had to be
done。 An' shore I was afraid of Roy。 He'd been bad。 An' so
would any of the other boys。 I'm sorta lookin' out for all
of them； you know； actin' as Miss Helen's foreman now。〃
Helen was unutterably tickled。 The effect of his speech upon
Bo was stupendous。 He had disarmed her。 He had； with the
finesse and tact and suavity of a diplomat； removed himself
from obligation； and the detachment of self； the casual
thing be apparently made out of his magnificent
championship； was bewildering and humiliating to Bo。 She sat
silent for a moment or two while Helen tried to fit easily
into the conversation。 It was not likely that Bo would long
be at a loss for words； and also it was immensely probable
that with a flash of her wonderful spirit she would turn the
tables on her perverse lover in a twinkling。 Anyway； plain
it was that a lesson had sunk deep。 She looked startled；
hurt； wistful； and finally sweetly defiant。
〃But you told Riggs I was your girl！〃 Thus Bo unmasked
her battery。 And Helen could not imagine how Carmichael
would ever resist that and the soft； arch glance which
accompanied it。
Helen did not yet know the cowboy； any more than did Bo。
〃Shore。 I had to say thet。 I had to make it strong before
thet gang。 I reckon it was presumin' of me； an' I shore
apologize。〃
Bo stared at him； and then； giving a little gasp； she
drooped。
〃Wal； I just run in to say howdy an' to inquire after
you…all；〃 said Carmichael。 〃I'm goin' to the dance； an' as
Flo lives out of town a ways I'd shore better rustle。 。 。 。
Good night； Miss Bo； I hope you'll be ridin' Sam soon。 An'
good night； Miss Helen。〃
Bo roused to a very friendly and laconic little speech； much
overdone。 Carmichael strode out； and Helen； bidding him
good…by； closed the door after him。
The instant he had departed Bo's transformation was tragic。
〃Flo！ He meant Flo Stubbs that ugly； cross…eyed； bold；
little frump！〃
〃Bo！〃 expostulated Helen。 〃The young lady is not beautiful；
I grant； but she's very nice and pleasant。 I liked her。〃
〃Nell Rayner； men are no good！ And cowboys are the worst！〃
declared Bo； terribly。
〃Why didn't you appreciate Tom when you had him？〃 asked
Helen。
Bo had been growing furious； but now the allusion； in past
tense； to the conquest she had suddenly and amazingly found
dear quite broke her spirit。 It was a very pale； unsteady；
and miserable girl who avoided Helen's gaze and left the
room。
Next day Bo was not approachable from any direction。 Helen
found her a victim to a multiplicity of moods； ranging from
woe to dire； dark broodings； from them to' wistfulness； and
at last to a pride that sustained her。
Late in the afternoon； at Helen's leisure hour； when she and
Bo were in the sitting…room； horses tramped into the court
and footsteps mounted the porch。 Opening to a loud knock；
Helen was surprised to see Beasley。 And out in the court
were several mounted horsemen。 Helen's heart sank。 This
visit； indeed； had been foreshadowed。
〃Afternoon； Miss Rayner；〃 said Beasley； doffing his
sombrero。 〃I've called on a little business deal。 Will you
see me？〃
Helen acknowledged his greeting while she thought rapidly。
She might just as well see him and have that inevitable
interview done with。
〃Come in；〃 she said； and when he had entered she closed the
door。 〃My sister； Mr。 Beasley。〃
〃How d' you do； Miss？〃 said the rancher； in bluff； loud
voice。
Bo acknowledged the introduction with a frigid little bow。
At close range Beasley seemed a forceful personality as well
as a rather handsome man of perhaps thirty…five； heavy of
build； swarthy of skin； and sloe…black of eye； like that of
the Mexicans whose blood was reported to be in him。 He
looked crafty； confident； and self…centered。 If Helen had
never heard of him before that visit she would have
distrusted him。
〃I'd called sooner； but I was waitin' for old Jose； the
Mexican who herded for me when I was pardner to your uncle；〃
said Beasley； and he sat down to put his huge gloved hands
on his knees。
〃Yes？〃 queried Helen； interrogatively。
〃Jose rustled over from Magdalena； an' now I can back up my
claim。 。 。 。 Miss Rayner； this hyar ranch ought to be mine
an' is mine。 It wasn't so big or so well stocked when Al
Auchincloss beat me out of it。 I reckon I'll allow for thet。
I've papers； an' old Jose for witness。 An' I calculate
you'll pay me eighty thousand dollars； or else I'll take
over the ranch。〃
Beasley spoke in an ordinary； matter…of…fact tone that
certainly seemed sincere； and his manner was blunt； but
perfectly natural。
〃Mr。 Beasley； your claim is no news to me；〃 responded Helen；
quietly。 〃I've heard about it。 And I questioned my uncle。 He
swore on his death…bed that he did not owe you a dollar。
Indeed； he claimed the indebtedness was yours to him。 I
could find nothing in his papers； so I must repudiate your
claim。 I will not take it seriously。〃
〃Miss Rayner； I can't blame you for takin' Al's word against
mine；〃 said Beasley。 〃An' your stand is natural。 But you're
a stranger here an' you know nothin' of stock deals in these
ranges。 It ain't fair to speak bad of the dead； but the
truth is thet Al Auchincloss got his start by stealin' sheep
an' unbranded cattle。 Thet was the start of every rancher I
know。 It was mine。 An' we none of us ever thought of it as
rustlin'。〃
Helen could only stare her surprise and doubt at this
statement。
〃Talk's cheap anywhere； an' in the West talk ain't much at
all；〃 continued Beasley。 〃I'm no talker。 I jest want to tell
my case an' make a deal if you'll have it。 I can prove more
in black an' white； an' with witness； than you can。 Thet's
my case。 The deal I'd make is this。 。 。 。 Let's marry an'
settle a bad deal thet way。〃
The man's direct assumption； absolutely without a qualifying
consideration for her woman's attitude； was amazing；
ignorant； and base； but Helen was so well prepared for it
that she hid her disgust。
〃Thank you； Mr。 Beasley； but I can't accept your offer；〃 she
replied。
〃Would you take time an' consider？〃 he asked； spreading wide
his huge gloved hands。
〃Absolutely no。〃
Beasley rose to his feet。 He showed no disappointment or
chagrin； but the bold pleasantness left his face； and；
slight as that change was； it stripped him of the only
redeeming quality he showed。
〃Thet means I'll force you to pay me the eighty thousand or
put you off；〃 he said。
〃Mr。 Beasley； even if I owed you that； how could I raise so
enormous a sum？ I don't owe it。 And I certainly won't be put
off my property。 You can't put me off。〃
〃An' why can't I' he demanded； with lowering； dark gaze。
〃Because your claim is dishonest。 And I can prove