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the slightest fraction of a second took his piercing eyes
off Beasley。
〃Wal； my half…breed greaser guest； it shore roils up my
blood to see you sittin' there thinkin' you've put my
boss； Miss Helen； off this ranch；〃 began Las Vegas； softly。
And then he helped himself leisurely to food and drink。 〃In
my day I've shore stacked up against a lot of outlaws；
thieves； rustlers； an' sich like； but fer an out an' out
dirty low…down skunk； you shore take the dough！ 。 。 。 I'm
goin； to kill you in a minit or so； jest as soon as you move
one of them dirty paws of yourn。 But I hope you'll be polite
an' let me say a few words。 I'll never be happy again if you
don't。 。 。 。 Of all the yaller greaser dogs I ever seen；
you're the worst！ 。 。 。 I was thinkin' last night mebbe
you'd come down an' meet me like a man； so 's I could wash
my hands ever afterward without gettin' sick to my stummick。
But you didn't come。 。 。 。 Beasley； I'm so ashamed of myself
thet I gotta call you when I ought to bore you； thet I
ain't even second cousin to my old self when I rode fer
Chisholm。 It don't mean nuthin' to you to call you liar！
robber！ blackleg！ a sneakin' coyote！ an' a cheat thet hires
others to do his dirty work！ 。 。 。 By Gawd！ 〃
〃Carmichael； gimme a word in；〃 hoarsely broke out Beasley。
〃You're right； it won't do no good to call me。 。 。 。 But
let's talk。 。 。 。 I'll buy you off。 Ten thousand dollars 〃
〃Haw！ Haw！ Haw！〃 roared Las Vegas。 He was as tense as a
strung cord and his face possessed a singular pale radiance。
His right hand began to quiver more and more。
〃I'll double it！〃 panted Beasley。 〃I'll make over
half the ranch all the stock 〃
〃Swaller thet！〃 yelled Las Vegas； with terrible strident
ferocity。
〃Listen man！ 。 。 。 I take it back！ 。 。 。 I'll give up
Auchincloss's ranch！〃 Beasley was now a shaking；
whispering； frenzied man； ghastly white； with rolling eyes。
Las Vegas's left fist pounded hard on the table。
〃GREASER； COME ON！〃 he thundered。
Then Beasley； with desperate； frantic action； jerked for his
gun。
CHAPTER XXVI
For Helen Rayner that brief； dark period of expulsion from
her home had become a thing of the past； almost forgotten。
Two months had flown by on the wings of love and work and
the joy of finding her place there in the West。 All her old
men had been only too glad of the opportunity to come back
to her； and under Dale and Roy Beeman a different and
prosperous order marked the life of the ranch。
Helen had made changes in the house by altering the
arrangement of rooms and adding a new section。 Only once had
she ventured into the old dining…room where Las Vegas
Carmichael had sat down to that fatal dinner for Beasley。
She made a store…room of it； and a place she would never
again enter。
Helen was happy； almost too happy； she thought； and
therefore made more than needful of the several bitter drops
in her sweet cup of life。 Carmichael had ridden out of Pine；
ostensibly on the trail of the Mexicans who had executed
Beasley's commands。 The last seen of him had been reported
from Show Down； where he had appeared red…eyed and
dangerous； like a hound on a scent。 Then two months had
flown by without a word。
Dale had shaken his head doubtfully when interrogated about
the cowboy's absence。 It would be just like Las Vegas never
to be heard of again。 Also it would be more like him to
remain away until all trace of his drunken； savage spell had
departed from him and had been forgotten by his friends。 Bo
took his disappearance apparently less to heart than Helen。
But Bo grew more restless； wilder； and more wilful than
ever。 Helen thought she guessed Bo's secret； and once she
ventured a hint concerning Carmichael's return。
〃If Tom doesn't come back pretty soon I'll marry Milt Dale；〃
retorted Bo； tauntingly。
This fired Helen's cheeks with red。
〃But； child；〃 she protested； half angry； half grave。 〃Milt
and I are engaged。〃
〃Sure。 Only you're so slow。 There's many a slip you
know。〃
〃Bo； I tell you Tom will come back；〃 replied Helen；
earnestly。 〃I feel it。 There was something fine in that
cowboy。 He understood me better than you or Milt； either。 。
。 。 And he was perfectly wild in love with you。〃
〃Oh！ WAS he？〃
〃Very much more than you deserved； Bo Rayner。〃
Then occurred one of Bo's sweet； bewildering； unexpected
transformations。 Her defiance； resentment； rebelliousness；
vanished from a softly agitated face。
〃Oh； Nell； I know that。 。 。 。 You just watch me if I ever
get another chance at him！ 。 。 。 Then maybe he'd never
drink again！〃
〃Bo； be happy and be good。 Don't ride off any more
don't tease the boys。 It'll all come right in the end。〃
Bo recovered her equanimity quickly enough。
〃Humph！ You can afford to be cheerful。 You've got a man who
can't live when you're out of his sight。 He's like a fish on
dry land。 。 。 。 And you why； once you were an old
pessimist！〃
Bo was not to be consoled or changed。 Helen could only sigh
and pray that her convictions would be verified。
The first day of July brought an early thunder…storm； just
at sunrise。 It roared and flared and rolled away； leaving a
gorgeous golden cloud pageant in the sky and a fresh；
sweetly smelling； glistening green range that delighted
Helen's eye。
Birds were twittering in the arbors and bees were humming in
the flowers。 From the fields down along the brook came a
blended song of swamp…blackbird and meadow…lark。 A
clarion…voiced burro split the air with his coarse and
homely bray。 The sheep were bleating； and a soft baa of
little lambs came sweetly to Helen's ears。 She went her
usual rounds with more than usual zest and thrill。
Everywhere was color； activity； life。 The wind swept warm
and pine…scented down from the mountain heights； now black
and bold； and the great green slopes seemed to call to her。
At that very moment she came suddenly upon Dale； in his
shirt…sleeves； dusty and hot； standing motionless； gazing at
the distant mountains。 Helen's greeting startled him。
〃I I was just looking away yonder；〃 he said； smiling。 She
thrilled at the clear； wonderful light of his eyes。
〃So was I a moment ago；〃 she replied； wistfully。 〃Do you
miss the forest very much？〃
〃Nell； I miss nothing。 But I'd like to ride with you under
the pines once more。〃
〃We'll go；〃 she cried。
〃When？〃 he asked； eagerly。
〃Oh soon！〃 And then with flushed face and downcast eyes
she passed on。 For long Helen had cherished a fond hope that
she might be married in Paradise Park； where she had fallen
in love with Dale and had realized herself。 But she had kept
that hope secret。 Dale's eager tone； his flashing eyes； had
made her feel that her secret was there in her telltale
face。
As she entered the lane leading to the house she encountered
one of the new stable…boys driving a pack…mule。
〃Jim； whose pack is that？〃 she asked。
〃Ma'am； I dunno； but I heard him tell Roy he reckoned his
name was mud；〃 replied the boy； smiling。
Helen's heart gave a quick throb。 That sounded like Las
Vegas。 She hurried on； and upon entering the courtyard she