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〃An' why can't I' he demanded； with lowering； dark gaze。
〃Because your claim is dishonest。 And I can prove it；〃
declared Helen； forcibly。
〃Who 're you goin' to prove it to thet I'm dishonest？〃
〃To my men to your men to the people of Pine to
everybody。 There's not a person who won't believe me。〃
He seemed curious； discomfited； surlily annoyed； and yet
fascinated by her statement or else by the quality and
appearance of her as she spiritedly defended her cause。
〃An' how 're you goin' to prove all thet？〃 he growled。
〃Mr。 Beasley； do you remember last fall when you met Snake
Anson with his gang up in the woods and hired him to make
off with me？〃 asked Helen； in swift； ringing words。
The dark olive of Beasley's bold face shaded to a dirty
white。
〃Wha…at？〃 he jerked out； hoarsely。
〃I see you remember。 Well； Milt Dale was hidden in the loft
of that cabin where you met Anson。 He heard every word of
your deal with the outlaw。〃
Beasley swung his arm in sudden violence； so hard that he
flung his glove to the floor。 As he stooped to snatch it up
he uttered a sibilant hiss。 Then； stalking to the door； he
jerked it open； and slammed it behind him。 His loud voice；
hoarse with passion； preceded the scrape and crack of hoofs。
Shortly after supper that day； when Helen was just
recovering her composure； Carmichael presented himself at
the open door。 Bo was not there。 In the dimming twilight
Helen saw that the cowboy was pale； somber； grim。
〃Oh； what's happened？〃 cried Helen。
〃Roy's been shot。 It come off in Turner's saloon But he
ain't dead。 We packed him over to Widow Cass's。 An' he said
for me to tell you he'd pull through。〃
〃Shot！ Pull through！〃 repeated Helen； in slow； unrealizing
exclamation。 She was conscious of a deep internal tumult and
a cold checking of blood in all her external body。
〃Yes； shot；〃 replied Carmichael； fiercely。
〃An'； whatever he says； I reckon he won't pull through。〃
〃0 Heaven； how terrible！〃 burst out Helen。 〃He was so good
such a man！ What a pity！ Oh； he must have met that in my
behalf。 Tell me； what happened？ Who shot him？〃
〃Wal； I don't know。 An' thet's what's made me hoppin' mad。 I
wasn't there when it come off。 An' he won't tell me。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I don't know thet； either。 I reckoned first it was because
he wanted to get even。 But； after thinkin' it over； I guess
he doesn't want me lookin' up any one right now for fear I
might get hurt。 An' you're goin' to need your friends。
Thet's all I can make of Roy。〃
Then Helen hurriedly related the event of Beasley's call on
her that afternoon and all that had occurred。
〃Wal； the half…breed son…of…a…greaser！〃 ejaculated
Carmichael； in utter confoundment。 〃He wanted you to marry
him！〃
〃He certainly did。 I must say it was a a rather abrupt
proposal。〃
Carmichael appeared to be laboring with speech that had to
be smothered behind his teeth。 At last he let out an
explosive breath。
〃Miss Nell； I've shore felt in my bones thet I'm the boy
slated to brand thet big bull。〃
〃Oh； he must have shot Roy。 He left here in a rage。〃
〃I reckon you can coax it out of Roy。 Fact is； all I could
learn was thet Roy come in the saloon alone。 Beasley was
there； an' Riggs 〃
〃Riggs！〃 interrupted Helen。
〃Shore； Riggs。 He come back again。 But he'd better keep out
of my way。 。 。 。 An' Jeff Mulvey with his outfit。 Turner
told me he heard an argument an' then a shot。 The gang
cleared out； leavin' Roy on the floor。 I come in a little
later。 Roy was still layin' there。 Nobody was doin' anythin'
for him。 An' nobody had。 I hold that against Turner。 Wal； I
got help an' packed Roy over to Widow Cass's。 Roy seemed all
right。 But he was too bright an' talky to suit me。 The
bullet hit his lung； thet's shore。 An' he lost a sight of
blood before we stopped it。 Thet skunk Turner might have
lent a hand。 An' if Roy croaks I reckon I'll 〃
〃Tom； why must you always be reckoning to kill somebody？〃
demanded Helen； angrily。
〃'Cause somebody's got to be killed 'round here。 Thet's
why！〃 he snapped back。
〃Even so should you risk leaving Bo and me without a
friend？〃 asked Helen； reproachfully。
At that Carmichael wavered and lost something of his sullen
deadliness。
〃Aw； Miss Nell； I'm only mad。 If you'll just be patient with
me an' mebbe coax me。 。 。 。 But I can't see no other way
out。〃
〃Let's hope and pray；〃 said Helen； earnestly。 〃You spoke of
my coaxing Roy to tell who shot him。 When can I see him？〃
〃To…morrow； I reckon。 I'll come for you。 Fetch Bo along with
you。 We've got to play safe from now on。 An' what do you say
to me an' Hal sleepin' here at the ranch…house？〃
〃Indeed I'd feel safer；〃 she replied。 〃There are rooms。
Please come。〃
〃Allright。 An' now I'll be goin' to fetch Hal。 Shore wish I
hadn't made you pale an' scared like this。〃
About ten o'clock next morning Carmichael drove Helen and Bo
into Pine； and tied up the team before Widow Cass's cottage。
The peach… and apple…trees were mingling blossoms of pink
and white； a drowsy hum of bees filled the fragrant air；
rich； dark…green alfalfa covered the small orchard flat； a
wood fire sent up a lazy column of blue smoke； and birds
were singing sweetly。
Helen could scarcely believe that amid all this tranquillity
a man lay perhaps fatally injured。 Assuredly Carmichael had
been somber and reticent enough to rouse the gravest fears。
Widow Cass appeared on the little porch； a gray； bent； worn；
but cheerful old woman whom Helen had come to know as her
friend。
〃My land！ I'm thet glad to see you； Miss Helen；〃 she said。
〃An' you've fetched the little lass as I've not got
acquainted with yet。〃
〃Good morning； Mrs。 Cass。 How how is Roy？〃 replied Helen；
anxiously scanning the wrinkled face。
〃Roy？ Now don't you look so scared。 Roy's 'most ready to git
on his hoss an' ride home； if I let him。 He knowed you was
a…comin'。 An' he made me hold a lookin'…glass for him to
shave。 How's thet fer a man with a bullet…hole through him！
You can't kill them Mormons； nohow。〃
She led them into a little sitting…room； where on a couch
underneath a window Roy Beeman lay。 He was wide awake and
smiling； but haggard。 He lay partly covered with a blanket。
His gray shirt was open at the neck； disclosing bandages。
〃Mornin' girls；〃 he drawled。 〃Shore is good of you； now；
comin' down。〃
Helen stood beside him； bent over him； in her earnestness；
as she greeted him。 She saw a shade of pain in his eyes and
his immobility struck her； but he did not seem badly off。 Bo
was pale； round…eyed； and apparently too agitated to speak。
Carmichael placed chairs beside the couch for the girls。
〃Wal； what's ailin' you this nice mornin'？〃 asked Roy； eyes
on the cowboy。
〃Huh！ Would you expect me to be wearin' the smile of 'a
fellar goin' to be married？〃 retorted Carmichael。
〃Shore you haven't made up with Bo yet；〃 returned Roy。
Bo blushed rosy red； and the cowboy's face lost something of
its somber hue。
〃I allow it's none of your d darn bizness if SHE ain't
made up with me；〃 he said。
〃Las Vegas； you're a