the man of the forest-第47章
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〃Well； Mister Carmichael； if that interests you I'm quite
ill；〃 replied Bo； freezingly。
〃Ill！ Aw no； now？〃
〃It's a fact。 If I don't die right off I'll have to be taken
back to Missouri；〃 said Bo； casually。
〃Are you goin' to ask me in？〃 queried Carmichael； bluntly。
〃It's cold an' I've got somethin' to say to 〃
〃To ME？ Well； you're not backward； I declare；〃 retorted Bo。
〃Miss Rayner； I reckon it 'll be strange to you findin'
out I didn't come to see you。〃
〃Indeed！ No。 But what was strange was the deluded idea I had
that you meant to apologize to me like a gentleman。 。
。 e in； Mr。 Carmichael。 My sister is here。〃
The door closed as Helen turned round。 Carmichael stood just
inside with his sombrero in hand； and as he gazed at Bo his
lean face seemed hard。 In the few months since autumn he had
changed aged； it seemed； and the once young； frank；
alert； and careless cowboy traits had merged into the making
of a man。 Helen knew just how much of a man he really was。
He had been her mainstay during all the complex working of
the ranch that had fallen upon her shoulders。
〃Wal； I reckon you was deluded； all right if you thought
I'd crawl like them other lovers of yours；〃 he said； with
cool deliberation。
Bo turned pale； and her eyes fairly blazed； yet even in what
must have been her fury Helen saw amaze and pain。
〃OTHER lovers？ I think the biggest delusion here is the way
you flatter yourself；〃 replied Bo； stingingly。
〃Me flatter myself？ Nope。 You don't savvy me。 I'm shore
hatin' myself these days。〃
〃Small wonder。 I certainly hate you with all my heart！〃
At this retort the cowboy dropped his head and did not see
Bo flaunt herself out of the room。 But he heard the door
close； and then slowly came toward Helen。
〃Cheer up； Las Vegas；〃 said Helen； smiling。 〃Bo's
hot…tempered。〃
〃Miss Nell； I'm just like a dog。 The meaner she treats me
the more I love her；〃 he replied； dejectedly。
To Helen's first instinct of liking for this cowboy there
had been added admiration； respect； and a growing
appreciation of strong； faithful； developing character。
Carmichael's face and hands were red and chapped from winter
winds； the leather of wrist…bands； belt； and boots was all
worn shiny and thin； little streaks of dust fell from him as
he breathed heavily。 He no longer looked the dashing cowboy；
ready for a dance or lark or fight。
〃How in the world did you offend her so？〃 asked Helen。 〃Bo
is furious。 I never saw her so angry as that。〃
〃Miss Nell； it was jest this way；〃 began Carmichael。 〃Shore
Bo's knowed I was in love with her。 I asked her to marry me
an' she wouldn't say yes or no。 。 。 。 An'； mean as it sounds
she never run away from it； thet's shore。 We've had some
quarrels two of them bad； an' this last's the worst。〃
〃Bo told me about one quarrel；〃 said Helen。 〃It was
because you drank that time。〃
〃Shore it was。 She took one of her cold spells an' I jest
got drunk。〃
〃But that was wrong；〃 protested Helen。
〃I ain't so shore。 You see； I used to get drunk often
before I come here。 An' I've been drunk only once。 Back at
Las Vegas the outfit would never believe thet。 Wal； I
promised Bo I wouldn't do it again； an' I've kept my word。〃
〃That is fine of you。 But tell me； why is she angry now？〃
〃Bo makes up to all the fellars；〃 confessed Carmichael；
hanging his head。 〃I took her to the dance last week over
in the town…hall。 Thet's the first time she'd gone anywhere
with me。 I shore was proud。 。 。 。 But thet dance was hell。
Bo carried on somethin' turrible； an' I 〃
〃Tell me。 What did she do？〃 demanded Helen； anxiously。 〃I'm
responsible for her。 I've got to see that she behaves。〃
〃Aw； I ain't sayin' she didn't behave like a lady；〃 replied
Carmichael。 〃It was she wal； all them fellars are
fools over her an' Bo wasn't true to me。〃
〃My dear boy； is Bo engaged to you？〃
〃Lord if she only was！〃 he sighed。
〃Then how can you say she wasn't true to you？ Be
reasonable。〃
〃I reckon now； Miss Nell； thet no one can be in love an' act
reasonable；〃 rejoined the cowboy。 〃I don't know how to
explain； but the fact is I feel thet Bo has played the
the devil with me an' all the other fellars。〃
〃You mean she has flirted？〃
〃I reckon。〃
〃Las Vegas； I'm afraid you're right；〃 said Helen； with
growing apprehension。 〃Go on。 Tell me what's happened。〃
〃Wal； thet Turner boy； who rides for Beasley； he was hot
after Bo；〃 returned Carmichael； and he spoke as if memory
hurt him。 〃Reckon I've no use for Turner。 He's a
fine…lookin'； strappin'； big cow…puncher； an' calculated to
win the girls。 He brags thet he can； an' I reckon he's
right。 Wal； he was always hangin' round Bo。 An' he stole one
of my dances with Bo。 I only had three； an' he comes up to
say this one was his； Bo； very innocent oh； she's a cute
one！ she says； 'Why； Mister Turner is it really
yours？' An' she looked so full of joy thet when he says to
me； 'Excoose us； friend Carmichael；' I sat there like a
locoed jackass an' let them go。 But I wasn't mad at thet。 He
was a better dancer than me an' I wanted her to have a good
time。 What started the hell was I seen him put his arm round
her when it wasn't just time； accordin' to the dance； an' Bo
she didn't break any records gettin' away from him。 She
pushed him away after a little after I near died。 Wal；
on the way home I had to tell her。 I shore did。 An' she said
what I'd love to forget。 Then then； Miss Nell； I grabbed
her it was outside here by the porch an' all bright
moonlight I grabbed her an' hugged an' kissed her good。
When I let her go I says； sorta brave； but I was plumb
scared I says； 〃Wal； are you goin' to marry me now？'〃
He concluded with a gulp； and looked at Helen with woe in
his eyes。
〃Oh！ What did Bo do？〃 breathlessly queried Helen。
〃She slapped me；〃 he replied。 〃An' then she says； I did like
you best； but NOW I hate you！' An' she slammed the door in
my face。〃
〃I think you made a great mistake；〃 said Helen； gravely。
〃Wal； if I thought so I'd beg her forgiveness。 But I reckon
I don't。 What's more； I feel better than before。 I'm only a
cowboy an' never was much good till I met her。 Then I
braced。 I got to havin' hopes； studyin' books； an' you know
how I've been lookin' into this ranchin' game。 I stopped
drinkin' an' saved my money。 Wal； she knows all thet。 Once
she said she was proud of me。 But it didn't seem to count
big with her。 An' if it can't count big I don't want it to
count at all。 I reckon the madder Bo is at me the more
chance I've got。 She knows I love her thet I'd die for
her thet I'm a changed man。 An' she knows I never before
thought of darin' to touch her hand。 An' she knows she
flirted with Turner。〃
〃She's only a child；〃 replied Helen。 〃And all this change
the West the wildness and you boys making much of her
why； it's turned her head。 But Bo will come out of it
true blue。 She is good； loving。 Her heart is gold。〃
〃I reckon I know； an' my faith can't be shook；〃 rejoined
Carmichael； simply。 〃But she ought to believe thet she'll
make bad blood out here。 The West is the West。 Any kind of
girls are scarce。 An' one like Bo Lord！ we cowboys never
seen none to compare with her。 She'll make bad blood an'
some of it will be spilled。〃
〃Uncle Al encourages her；〃 said Helen； apprehensively。 〃It
tickles him to hear how the boys are after her。 Oh； she
doesn't tell him。 But he hears。 And I； who must stand in
mother's place to her； what can I do？〃
〃Miss Nell； are you on my side？〃 asked the cowboy；
wistfully。 He was strong and elemental； caught in the toils
of some power beyond him。
Yesterday Helen might have hesitated at that question。 But
to…day Carmichael brought some proven quality of loyalty；
some strange depth of rugged sincerity； as if she had
learned his future worth。
〃Yes； I am；〃 Helen replied； earnestly。 And she offered her
hand。
〃Wal； then it 'll shore turn out happy；〃 he said； squeezing
her hand。 His smile was grateful； but there was nothing in
it of the victory he hinted at。 Some of his ruddy color had
gone。 〃An' n
