the man of the forest-第49章

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appear　that　the　other　man；　Beasley；　might　soon　direct
stronger　significance　upon　the　liberty　of　her　actions。

The　responsibility　of　the　ranch　had　turned　out　to　be　a　heavy
burden。　　It　could　not　be　managed；　at　least　by　her；　in　the　way
Auchincloss　wanted　it　done。　　He　was　old；　irritable；
irrational；　and　hard。　　Almost　all　the　neighbors　were　set
against　him；　and　naturally　did　not　take　kindly　to　Helen。

She　had　not　found　the　slightest　evidence　of　unfair　dealing
on　the　part　of　her　uncle；　but　he　had　been　a　hard　driver。
Then　his　shrewd；　far…seeing　judgment　had　made　all　his　deals
fortunate　for　him；　which　fact　had　not　brought　a　profit　of
friendship。

Of　late；　since　Auchincloss　had　grown　weaker　and　less
dominating；　Helen　had　taken　many　decisions　upon　herself；
with　gratifying　and　hopeful　results。　　But　the　wonderful
happiness　that　she　had　expected　to　find　in　the　West　still
held　aloof。　　The　memory　of　Paradise　Park　seemed　only　a　dream；
sweeter　and　more　intangible　as　time　passed；　and　fuller　of
vague　regrets。　　Bo　was　a　comfort；　but　also　a　very
considerable　source　of　anxiety。　　She　might　have　been　a　help
to　Helen　if　she　had　not　assimilated　Western　ways　so　swiftly。
Helen　wished　to　decide　things　in　her　own　way；　which　was　as
yet　quite　far　from　Western。　　So　Helen　had　been　thrown　more
and　more　upon　her　own　resources；　with　the　cowboy　Carmichael
the　only　one　who　had　come　forward　voluntarily　to　her　aid。

For　an　hour　Helen　sat　alone　in　the　room；　looking　out　of　the
window；　and　facing　stern　reality　with　a　colder；　graver；
keener　sense　of　intimacy　than　ever　before。　　To　hold　her
property　and　to　live　her　life　in　this　community　according　to
her　ideas　of　honesty；　justice；　and　law　might　well　be　beyond
her　powers。　　To…day　she　had　been　convinced　that　she　could　not
do　so　without　fighting　for　them；　and　to　fight　she　must　have
friends。　　That　conviction　warmed　her　toward　Carmichael；　and　a
thoughtful　consideration　of　all　he　had　done　for　her　proved
that　she　had　not　fully　appreciated　him。　　She　would　make　up
for　her　oversight。

There　were　no　Mormons　in　her　employ；　for　the　good　reason
that　Auchincloss　would　not　hire　them。　　But　in　one　of　his
kindlier　hours；　growing　rare　now；　he　had　admitted　that　the
Mormons　were　the　best　and　the　most　sober；　faithful　workers
on　the　ranges；　and　that　his　sole　objection　to　them　was　just
this　fact　of　their　superiority。　　Helen　decided　to　hire　the
four　Beemans　and　any　of　their　relatives　or　friends　who　would
come；　and　to　do　this；　if　possible；　without　letting　her　uncle
know。　　His　temper　now；　as　well　as　his　judgment；　was　a
hindrance　to　efficiency。　　This　decision　regarding　the
Beemans；　brought　Helen　back　to　Carmichael's　fervent　wish　for
Dale；　and　then　to　her　own。

Soon　spring　would　be　at　hand；　with　its　multiplicity　of　range
tasks。　　Dale　had　promised　to　come　to　Pine　then；　and　Helen
knew　that　promise　would　be　kept。　　Her　heart　beat　a　little
faster；　in　spite　of　her　business…centered　thoughts。　　Dale　was
there；　over　the　black…sloped；　snowy…tipped　mountain；　shut
away　from　the　world。　　Helen　almost　envied　him。　　No　wonder　he
loved　loneliness；　solitude；　the　sweet；　wild　silence　and
beauty　of　Paradise　Park！　　But　he　was　selfish；　and　Helen　meant
to　show　him　that。　　She　needed　his　help。　　When　she　recalled　his
physical　prowess　with　animals；　and　imagined　what　it　must　be
in　relation　to　men；　she　actually　smiled　at　the　thought　of
Beasley　forcing　her　off　her　property；　if　Dale　were　there。
Beasley　would　only　force　disaster　upon　himself。　　Then　Helen
experienced　a　quick　shock。　　Would　Dale　answer　to　this
situation　as　Carmichael　had　answered？　　It　afforded　her　relief
to　assure　herself　to　the　contrary。　　The　cowboy　was　one　of　a
blood…letting　breed；　the　hunter　was　a　man　of　thought；
gentleness；　humanity。　　This　situation　was　one　of　the　kind
that　had　made　him　despise　the　littleness　of　men。　　Helen
assured　herself　that　he　was　different　from　her　uncle　and
from　the　cowboy；　in　all　the　relations　of　life　which　she　had
observed　while　with　him。　　But　a　doubt　lingered　in　her　mind。
She　remembered　his　calm　reference　to　Snake　Anson；　and　that
caused　a　recurrence　of　the　little　shiver　Carmichael　had
given　her。　　When　the　doubt　augmented　to　a　possibility　that
she　might　not　be　able　to　control　Dale；　then　she　tried　not　to
think　of　it　any　more。　　It　confused　and　perplexed　her　that
into　her　mind　should　flash　a　thought　that；　though　it　would
be　dreadful　for　Carmichael　to　kill　Beasley；　for　Dale　to　do
it　would　be　a　calamity　　a　terrible　thing。　　Helen　did　not
analyze　that　strange　thought。　　She　was　as　afraid　of　it　as　she
was　of　the　stir　in　her　blood　when　she　visualized　Dale。

Her　meditation　was　interrupted　by　Bo；　who　entered　the　room；
rebellious…eyed　and　very　lofty。　　Her　manner　changed；　which
apparently　owed　its　cause　to　the；　fact　that　Helen　was　alone。

〃Is　that　　cowboy　gone？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　　He　left　quite　some　time　ago；〃　replied　Helen。

〃I　wondered　if　he　made　your　eyes　shine　　your　color　burn
so。　　Nell；　you're　just　beautiful。〃

〃Is　my　face　burning？〃　asked　Helen；　with　a　little　laugh。　　〃So
it　is。　　Well；　Bo；　you've　no　cause　for　jealousy。　　Las　Vegas
can't　be　blamed　for　my　blushes。〃

〃Jealous！　　Me？　　Of　that　wild…eyed；　soft…voiced；　two…faced
cow…puncher？　　I　guess　not；　Nell　Rayner。　　What　'd　he　say　about
me？〃

〃Bo；　he　said　a　lot；〃　replied　Helen；　reflectively。　　〃I'll　tell
you　presently。　　First　I　want　to　ask　you　　has　Carmichael
ever　told　you　how　he's　helped　me？〃

〃No！　　When　I　see　him　　which　hasn't　been　often　lately　　he
　I　　Well；　we　fight。　　Nell；　has　he　helped　you？〃

Helen　smiled　in　faint　amusement。　　She　was　going　to　be
sincere；　but　she　meant　to　keep　her　word　to　the　cowboy。　　The
fact　was　that　reflection　had　acquainted　her　with　her
indebtedness　to　Carmichael。

〃Bo；　you've　been　so　wild　to　ride　half…broken　mustangs　　and
carry　on　with　cowboys　　and　read　　and　sew　　and　keep
your　secrets　that　you've　had　no　time　for　your　sister　or　her
troubles。〃

〃Nell！〃　burst　out　Bo；　in　amaze　and　pain。　　She　flew　to　Helen
and　seized　her　hands。　　〃What　're　you　saying？〃

〃It's　all　true；〃　replied　Helen；　thrilling　and　softening。
This　sweet　sister；　once　aroused；　would　be　hard　to　resist。
Helen　imagined　she　should　hold　to　her　tone　of　reproach　and
severity。

〃Sure　it's　true；〃　cried　Bo；　fiercely。　　〃But　what's　my　fooling
got　to　do　with　the　　the　rest　you　said？　　Nell；　are　you
keeping　things　from　me？〃

〃My　dear；　I　never　get　any　encouragement　to　tell　you　my
troubles。〃

〃But　I've　　I've　nursed　uncle　　sat　up　with　him　　just
the　same　as　you；〃　said　Bo；　with　quivering　lips。

〃Yes；　you've　been　good　to　him。〃

〃We've　no　other　troubles；　have　we；　Nell？〃

〃You　haven't；　but　I　have；〃　responded　Helen；　reproachfully。

〃Why　　why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　cried　Bo；　passionately。
〃What　are　they？　　Tell　me　now。　　You　must　think　me　a　　a
selfish；　hateful　cat。〃

〃Bo；　I've　had　much　to　worry　me　　and　the　worst　is　yet　to
come；〃　replied　Helen。　　Then　she　told　Bo　how　complicated　and
bewildering　was　the　management　of　a　big　ranch　　when　the
owner　was　ill；　testy；　defective　in　memory；　and　hard　as　steel
　when　he　had　hoards　of　gold　and　notes；　but　could　not　or
would　not　remember　his　obligations　　when　the　neighbor
ranchers　had　just　claims　　when　cowboys　and　sheep…herders
were　discontented；　and　wrangled　among　themselves　　when
great　herds　of　cattle　and　flocks　of　sheep　had　to　be　fed　in
winter　　when　supplies　had　to　be　continually　freighted
across　a　muddy　desert　and　lastly；　when　an　enemy　rancher　was
slowly　winning　away　the　best　hands　with　the　end　in　view　of
deliberately　taking　over　the　property　when　the　owner　died。
Then　Helen　told　how　she　had　only　that　day　realized　the
extent　of　Carmichael's　advice　and　help　and　labor　　how；
indeed；　he　had　been　a　brother　to　her　　how　

But　at　this　juncture　Bo　buried　her　face　in　Helen's　breast
and　began　to　cry　wildly。

〃I　　I　　don't　want　　to　hear　　any　more；〃　she　sobbed。

〃Well；　you've　got　to　hear　it；〃　replied　Helen；　inexorably　〃I
want　you　to　know　how　he's　stood　by　me。〃

〃But　I　hate　him。〃

〃Bo；　I　suspect　that's　not　true。〃

〃I　do　　I　do。〃

〃Well；　you　act　and　talk　very　strangely　then。〃

〃Nell　Rayner　　are　　you　　you　sticking　up　for　that　
that　devil？〃

〃I　am；　yes；　so　far　as　it　concerns　my　conscience；〃　rejoined
Helen；　earnes