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Ranger。 〃Where'd you leave the cougar？〃
〃I sent him home；〃 replied Date。
〃Laws now； Milt； if this ain't grand！〃 cackled Mrs。 Cass。
〃We've worried some here。 An' Miss Helen near starved
a…hopin' fer you。〃
〃Mother； I reckon the girl an' I are nearer starved than
anybody you know；〃 replied Dale； with a grim laugh。
〃Fer the land's sake！ I'll be fixin' supper this minit。〃
〃Nell； why are you here？〃 asked Bo； suspiciously。
For answer Helen led her sister into the spare room and
closed the door。 Bo saw the baggage。 Her expression changed。
The old blaze leaped to the telltale eyes。
〃He's done it！〃 she cried； hotly。
〃Dearest thank God。 I've got you back again！〃 murmured
Helen； finding her voice。 〃Nothing else matters！ 。 。 。 I've
prayed only for that！〃
〃Good old Nell！〃 whispered Bo； and she kissed and embraced
Helen。 〃You really mean that； I know。 But nix for yours
truly！ I'm back alive and kicking； you bet。 。 。 。 Where's my
where's Tom？〃
〃Bo； not a word has been heard of him for five days。 He's
searching for you； of course。〃
〃And you've been been put off the ranch？〃
〃Well； rather；〃 replied Helen； and in a few trembling words
she told the story of her eviction。
Bo uttered a wild word that had more force than elegance；
but it became her passionate resentment of this outrage done
her sister。
〃Oh！ 。 。 。 Does Tom Carmichael know this？〃 she added；
breathlessly。
〃How could he？〃
〃When he finds out； then Oh； won't there be hell？ I'm
glad I got here first。 。 。 。 Nell； my boots haven't been off
the whole blessed time。 Help me。 And oh； for some soap and
hot water and some clean clothes！ Nell； old girl； I wasn't
raised right for these Western deals。 Too luxurious！〃
And then Helen had her ears filled with a rapid…fire account
of running horses and Riggs and outlaws and Beasley called
boldly to his teeth； and a long ride and an outlaw who was a
hero a fight with Riggs blood and death another
long ride a wild camp in black woods night lonely；
ghostly sounds and day again plot a great actress
lost to the world Ophelia Snakes and Ansons
hoodooed outlaws mournful moans and terrible cries
cougar stampede fight and shots； more blood and death
Wilson hero another Tom Carmichael fallen in love
with outlaw gun…fighter if black night and Dale and horse
and rides and starved and； 〃Oh； Nell； he WAS from Texas！〃
Helen gathered that wonderful and dreadful events had hung
over the bright head of this beloved little sister； but the
bewilderment occasioned by Bo's fluent and remarkable
utterance left only that last sentence clear。
Presently Helen got a word in to inform Bo that Mrs。 Cass
had knocked twice for supper； and that welcome news checked
Bo's flow of speech when nothing else seemed adequate。
It was obvious to Helen that Roy and Dale had exchanged
stories。 Roy celebrated this reunion by sitting at table the
first time since he had been shot； and despite Helen's
misfortune and the suspended waiting balance in the air the
occasion was joyous。 Old Mrs。 Cass was in the height of her
glory。 She sensed a romance here； and； true to her sex； she
radiated to it。
Daylight was still lingering when Roy got up and went out on
the porch。 His keen ears had heard something。 Helen fancied
she herself had heard rapid hoof…beats。
〃Dale； come out！〃 called Roy； sharply。
The hunter moved with his swift； noiseless agility。 Helen
and Bo followed； halting in the door。
〃Thet's Las Vegas；〃 whispered Dale。
To Helen it seemed that the cowboy's name changed the very
atmosphere。
Voices were heard at the gate； one that； harsh and quick；
sounded like Carmichael's。 And a spirited horse was pounding
and scattering gravel。 Then a lithe figure appeared；
striding up the path。 It was Carmichael yet not the
Carmichael Helen knew。 She heard Bo's strange little cry； a
corroboration of her own impression。
Roy might never have been shot； judging from the way he
stepped out； and Dale was almost as quick。 Carmichael
reached them grasped them with swift； hard hands。
〃Boys I jest rode in。 An' they said you'd found her！〃
〃Shore； Las Vegas。 Dale fetched her home safe an' sound。 。 。
。 There she is。〃
The cowboy thrust aside the two men； and with a long stride
he faced the porch； his piercing eyes on the door。 All that
Helen could think of his look was that it seemed terrible。
Bo stepped outside in front of Helen。 Probably she would
have run straight into Carmichael's arms if some strange
instinct had not withheld her。 Helen judged it to be fear；
she found her heart lifting painfully。
〃Bo！〃 he yelled； like a savage； yet he did not in the least
resemble one。
〃Oh Tom！〃 cried Bo； falteringly。 She half held out her
arms。
〃You； girl？〃 That seemed to be his piercing query； like the
quivering blade in his eyes。 Two more long strides carried
him close up to her； and his look chased the red out of Bo's
cheek。 Then it was beautiful to see his face marvelously
change until it was that of the well remembered Las Vegas
magnified in all his old spirit。
〃Aw！〃 The exclamation was a tremendous sigh。 〃I shore am
glad！〃
That beautiful flash left his face as he wheeled to the men。
He wrung Dale's hand long and hard； and his gaze confused
the older man。
〃RIGGS！〃 he said； and in the jerk of his frame as he whipped
out the word disappeared the strange； fleeting signs of his
kindlier emotion。
〃Wilson killed him；〃 replied Dale。
〃Jim Wilson that old Texas Ranger！ 。 。 。 Reckon he lent
you a hand？〃
〃My friend； he saved Bo；〃 replied Dale； with emotion。 〃My
old cougar an' me we just hung 'round。〃
〃You made Wilson help you？〃 cut in the hard voice。
〃Yes。 But he killed Riggs before I come up an' I reckon he'd
done well by Bo if I'd never got there。〃
〃How about the gang？〃
〃All snuffed out； I reckon； except Wilson。〃
〃Somebody told me Beasley hed ran Miss Helen off the ranch。
Thet so？〃
〃Yes。 Four of his greasers packed her down the hill most
tore her clothes off； so Roy tells me。〃
〃Four greasers！ 。 。 。 Shore it was Beasley's deal clean
through？〃
〃Yes。 Riggs was led。 He had an itch for a bad name； you
know。 But Beasley made the plan。 It was Nell they wanted
instead of Bo。〃
Abruptly Carmichael stalked off down the darkening path； his
silver heel…plates ringing； his spurs jingling。
〃Hold on； Carmichael；〃 called Dale； taking a step。
〃Oh； Tom！〃 cried Bo。
〃Shore folks callin' won't be no use； if anythin would be；〃
said Roy。 〃Las Vegas has hed a look at red liquor。〃
〃He's been drinking！ Oh； that accounts！ 。 。 。 he never
never even touched me！〃
For once Helen was not ready to comfort Bo。 A mighty tug at
her heart had sent her with flying； uneven steps toward
Dale。 He took another stride down the path； and another。
〃Dale oh please stop！〃 she called； very low。
He halted as if he had run sharply into a bar across the
path。 When he turned Helen had come close。 Twilight was deep
there in the shade of the peach…trees； but she could see his
face； the hungry； flaring eyes。
〃I I haven't thanked you yet for bringing B