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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 wonder with a hoss an' a rope； an' I
reckon with a gun； but when it comes to girls you shore
ain't there。〃
〃I'm no Mormon； by golly！ Come； Ma Cass； let's get out of
here； so they can talk。〃
〃Folks； I was jest a…goin' to say thet Roy's got fever an'
he oughtn't t' talk too much；〃 said the old woman。 Then she
and Carmichael went into the kitchen and closed； the door。
Roy looked up at Helen with his keen eyes； more kindly
piercing than ever。
〃My brother John was here。 He'd just left when you come。 He
rode home to tell my folks I'm not so bad hurt； an' then
he's goin' to ride a bee…line into the mountains。〃
Helen's eyes asked what her lips refused to utter。
〃He's goin' after Dale。 I sent him。 I reckoned we…all sorta
needed sight of thet doggone hunter。〃
Roy had averted his gaze quickly to Bo。
〃Don't you agree with me； lass？〃
〃I sure do；〃 replied Bo； heartily。
All within Helen had been stilled for the moment of her
realization； and then came swell and beat of heart； and
inconceivable chafing of a tide at its restraint。
〃Can John fetch Dale out when the snow's so deep？〃 she
asked； unsteadily。
〃Shore。 He's takin' two hosses up to the snow…line。 Then； if
necessary； he'll go over the pass on snow…shoes。 But I bet
him Dale would ride out。 Snow's about gone except on the
north slopes an' on the peaks。〃
〃Then when may I we expect to see Dale？〃
〃Three or four days； I reckon。 I wish he was here now。 。 。 。
Miss Helen； there's trouble afoot。〃
〃I realize that。 I'm ready。 Did Las Vegas tell you about
Beasley's visit to me？〃
〃No。 You tell me；〃 replied Roy。
Briefly Helen began to acquaint him with the circumstances
of that visit； and before she had finished she made sure Roy
was swearing to himself。
〃He asked you to marry him！ Jerusalem！ 。 。 。 Thet I'd never
have reckoned。 The low…down coyote of a greaser！ 。 。 。
Wal； Miss Helen； when I met up with Senuor Beasley last night
he was shore spoilin' from somethin'； now I see what thet
was。 An' I reckon I picked out the bad time。〃
〃For what？ Roy； what did you do？〃
〃Wal； I'd made up my mind awhile back to talk to Beasley the
first chance I had。 An' thet was it。 I was in the store when
I seen him go into Turner's。 So I followed。 It was 'most
dark。 Beasley an' Riggs an' Mulvey an' some more were
drinkin' an' powwowin'。 So I just braced him right then。〃
〃Roy！ Oh； the way you boys court danger！〃
〃But； Miss Helen； thet's the only way。 To be afraid MAKES
more danger。 Beasley 'peared civil enough first off。 Him an'
me kept edgin' off； an' his pards kept edgin' after us； till
we got over in a corner of the saloon。 I don't know all I
said to him。 Shore I talked a heap。 I told him what my old
man thought。 An' Beasley knowed as well as I thet my old
man's not only the oldest inhabitant hereabouts； but he's
the wisest； too。 An' he wouldn't tell a lie。 Wal； I used all
his sayin's in my argument to show Beasley thet if he didn't
haul up short he'd end almost as short。 Beasley's
thick…headed； an' powerful conceited。 Vain as a peacock！ He
couldn't see； an' he got mad。 I told him he was rich enough
without robbin' you of your ranch； an' wal； I shore put
up a big talk for your side。 By this time he an' his gang
had me crowded in a corner； an' from their looks I begun to
get cold feet。 But I was in it an' had to make the best of
it。 The argument worked down to his pinnin' me to my word
that I'd fight for you when thet fight come off。 An' I shore
told him for my own sake I wished it 'd come off quick。 。 。
。 Then wal then somethin' did come off quick！〃
〃Roy； then he shot you！〃 exclaimed Helen； passionately。
〃Now； Miss Helen； I didn't say who done it；〃 replied Roy；
with his engaging smile。
〃Tell me； then who did？〃
〃Wal； I reckon I sha'n't tell you unless you promise not to
tell Las Vegas。 Thet cowboy is plumb off his head。 He thinks
he knows who shot me an' I've been lyin' somethin'
scandalous。 You see； if he learns then he'll go gunnin'。
An'； Miss Helen； thet Texan is bad。 He might get plugged as
I did an' there would be another man put off your side
when the big trouble comes。〃
〃Roy； I promise you I will not tell Las Vegas；〃 replied
Helen； earnestly。
〃Wal； then it was Riggs！〃 Roy grew still paler as he
confessed this and his voice； almost a whisper； expressed
shame and hate。 〃Thet four…flush did it。 Shot me from behind
Beasley！ I had no chance。 I couldn't even see him draw。 But
when I fell an' lay there an' the others dropped back； then
I seen the smokin' gun in his hand。 He looked powerful
important。 An' Beasley began to cuss him an' was cussin' him
as they all run out。〃
〃Oh； coward！ the despicable coward！〃 cried Helen。
〃No wonder Tom wants to find out！〃 exclaimed Bo； low and
deep。 〃I'll bet he suspects Riggs。〃
Shore he does； but I wouldn't give him no satisfaction。〃
〃Roy； you know that Riggs can't last out here。〃
〃Wal； I hope he lasts till I get on my feet again。〃
〃There you go！ Hopeless； all you boys！ You must spill
blood！〃 murmured Helen； shudderingly。
〃Dear Miss Helen； don't take on so。 I'm like Dale no man
to hunt up trouble。 But out here there's a sort of unwritten
law an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth。 I believe
in God Almighty； an' killin' is against my religion； but
Riggs shot me the same as shootin' me in the back。〃
〃Roy； I'm only a woman I fear； faint…hearted and unequal
to this West。〃
〃Wait till somethin' happens to you。 'Supposin' Beasley
comes an' grabs you with his own dirty big paws an'； after
maulin' you some； throws you out of your home！ Or supposin'
Riggs chases you into a corner！〃
Helen felt the start of all her physical being a violent
leap of blood。 But she could only judge of her looks from
the grim smile of the wounded man as he watched her with his
keen； intent eyes。
〃My friend； anythin' can happen；〃 he said。 〃But let's hope
it won't be the worst。〃
He had begun to show signs of weakness； and Helen； rising at
once； said that she and Bo had better leave him then； but
would come to see him the next day。 At her call Carmichael
entered again with Mrs。 Cass； and after a few remarks the
visit was terminated。 Carmichael lingered in the doorway。
〃Wal； Cheer up； you old Mormon！〃 he called。
〃Cheer up yourself； you cross old bachelor！〃 retorted Roy；
quite unnecessarily loud。 〃Can't you raise enough nerve to
make up with Bo？〃
Carmichael evacuated the doorway as if he had been spurred。
He was quite red in the face while he unhitched the team；
and silent during the ride up to the ranch…house。 There he
got down and followed the girls into the sitting room。 He
appeared still somber； though not sullen； and had fully
regained his composure。
〃Did you find out who shot Roy？〃 he asked； abruptly； of
Helen。
〃Yes。 But I promised Roy I would not tell；〃 replied Helen；
nervously。 She averted her eyes from his searching gaze；
intuitively fearing his next query。
〃Was it thet Riggs？〃