the man of the forest-第50章

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that　devil？〃

〃I　am；　yes；　so　far　as　it　concerns　my　conscience；〃　rejoined
Helen；　earnestly。　　〃I　never　appreciated　him　as　he　deserved　
not　until　now。　　He's　a　man；　Bo；　every　inch　of　him。　　I've　seen
him　grow　up　to　that　in　three　months。　　I'd　never　have　gotten
along　without　him。　　I　think　he's　fine；　manly；　big。　　I　〃

〃I'll　bet　　he's　made　love　　to　you；　too；〃　replied　Bo；
woefully。

〃Talk　sense；〃　said　Helen；　sharply。　　〃He　has　been　a　brother　to
me。　　But；　Bo　Rayner；　if　he　HAD　made　love　to　me　I　　I　might
have　appreciated　it　more　than　you。〃

Bo　raised　her　face；　flushed　in　part　and　also　pale；　with
tear…wet　cheeks　and　the　telltale　blaze　in　the　blue　eyes。

〃I've　been　wild　about　that　fellow。　　But　I　hate　him；　too；〃　she
said；　with　flashing　spirit。　　〃And　I　want　to　go　on　hating　him。
So　don't　tell　me　any　more。〃

Whereupon　Helen　briefly　and　graphically　related　how
Carmichael　had　offered　to　kill　Beasley；　as　the　only　way　to
save　her　property；　and　how；　when　she　refused；　that　he
threatened　he　would　do　it　anyhow。

Bo　fell　over　with　a　gasp　and　clung　to　Helen。

〃Oh　　Nell！　　Oh；　now　I　love　him　more　than　　ever；〃　she
cried；　in　mingled　rage　and　despair。

Helen　clasped　her　closely　and　tried　to　comfort　her　as　in　the
old　days；　not　so　very　far　back；　when　troubles　were　not　so
serious　as　now。

〃Of　course　you　love　him；〃　she　concluded。　　〃I　guessed　that
long　ago。　　And　I'm　glad。　　But　you've　been　wilful　　foolish。
You　wouldn't　surrender　to　it。　　You　wanted　your　fling　with　the
other　boys。　　You're　　Oh；　Bo；　I　fear　you　have　been　a　sad
little　flirt。〃

〃I　　I　wasn't　very　bad　till　　till　he　got　bossy。　　Why；
Nell；　he　acted　　right　off　　just　as　if　he　OWNED　me。　　But
he　didn't。　。　。　。　　And　to　show　him　　I　　I　really　did　flirt
with　that　Turner　fellow。　　Then　he　　he　insulted　me。　。　。　。
Oh；　I　hate　him！〃

〃Nonsense；　Bo。　　You　can't　hate　any　one　while　you　love　him；〃
protested　Helen。

〃Much　you　know　about　that；〃　flashed　Bo。　　〃You　just　can！　　Look
here。　　Did　you　ever　see　a　cowboy　rope　and　throw　and　tie　up　a
mean　horse？〃

〃Yes；　I　have。〃

〃Do　you　have　any　idea　how　strong　a　cowboy　is　　how　his
hands　and　arms　are　like　iron？〃

〃Yes；　I'm　sure　I　know　that；　too。〃

〃And　how　savage　he　is？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　how　he　goes　at　anything　he　wants　to　do？〃

〃I　must　admit　cowboys　are　abrupt；〃　responded　Helen；　with　a
smile。

〃Well；　Miss　Rayner；　did　you　ever　　when　you　were　standing
quiet　like　a　lady　　did　you　ever　have　a　cowboy　dive　at　you
with　a　terrible　lunge　　grab　you　and　hold　you　so　you
couldn't　move　or　breathe　or　scream　　hug　you　till　all　your
bones　cracked　　and　kiss　you　so　fierce　and　so　hard　that　you
wanted　to　kill　him　and　die？

Helen　had　gradually　drawn　back　from　this　blazing…eyed；
eloquent　sister；　and　when　the　end　of　that　remarkable
question　came　it　was　impossible　to　reply。

〃There！　　I　see　you　never　had　that　done　to　you；〃　resumed　Bo；
with　satisfaction。　　〃So　don't　ever　talk　to　me。〃

〃I've　heard　his　side　of　the　story；〃　said　Helen；
constrainedly。

With　a　start　Bo　sat　up　straighter；　as　if　better　to　defend
herself。

〃Oh！　　So　you　have？　　And　I　suppose　you'll　take　his　part　　even
about　that　　that　bearish　trick。〃

〃No。　　I　think　that　rude　and　bold。　　But；　Bo；　I　don't　believe　he
meant　to　be　either　rude　or　bold。　　From　what　he　confessed　to
me　I　gather　that　he　believed　he'd　lose　you　outright　or　win
you　outright　by　that　violence。　　It　seems　girls　can't　play　at
love　out　here　in　this　wild　West。　　He　said　there　would　be
blood　shed　over　you。　　I　begin　to　realize　what　he　meant。　　He's
not　sorry　for　what　he　did。　　Think　how　strange　that　is。　　For　he
has　the　instincts　of　a　gentleman。　　He's　kind；　gentle；
chivalrous。　　Evidently　he　had　tried　every　way　to　win　your
favor　except　any　familiar　advance。　　He　did　that　as　a　last
resort。　　In　my　opinion　his　motives　were　to　force　you　to
accept　or　refuse　him；　and　in　case　you　refused　him　he'd
always　have　those　forbidden　stolen　kisses　to　assuage　his
self…respect　　when　he　thought　of　Turner　or　any　one　else
daring　to　be　familiar　with　you。　　Bo；　I　see　through
Carmichael；　even　if　I　don't　make　him　clear　to　you。　　You've
got　to　be　honest　with　yourself。　　Did　that　act　of　his　win　or
lose　you？　　In　other　words；　do　you　love　him　or　not？〃

Bo　hid　her　face。

〃Oh；　Nell！　　it　made　me　see　how　I　loved　him　　and　that　made
me　so　　so　sick　I　hated　him。　。　。　。　　But　now　　the　hate　is
all　gone。〃



CHAPTER　XVII

When　spring　came　at　last　and　the　willows　drooped　green　and
fresh　over　the　brook　and　the　range　rang　with　bray　of　burro
and　whistle　of　stallion；　old　Al　Auchincloss　had　been　a　month
in　his　grave。

To　Helen　it　seemed　longer。　　The　month　had　been　crowded　with
work；　events；　and　growing；　more　hopeful　duties；　so　that　it
contained　a　world　of　living。　　The　uncle　had　not　been
forgotten；　but　the　innumerable　restrictions　to　development
and　progress　were　no　longer　manifest。　　Beasley　had　not
presented　himself　or　any　claim　upon　Helen；　and　she；
gathering　confidence　day　by　day；　began　to　believe　all　that
purport　of　trouble　had　been　exaggerated。

In　this　time　she　had　come　to　love　her　work　and　all　that
pertained　to　it。　　The　estate　was　large。　　She　had　no　accurate
knowledge　of　how　many　acres　she　owned；　but　it　was　more　than
two　thousand。　　The　fine；　old；　rambling　ranch…house；　set　like
a　fort　on　the　last　of　the　foot…hills；　corrals　and　fields　and
barns　and　meadows；　and　the　rolling　green　range　beyond；　and
innumerable　sheep；　horses；　cattle　　all　these　belonged　to
Helen；　to　her　ever…wondering　realization　and　ever…growing
joy。　　Still；　she　was　afraid　to　let　herself　go　and　be
perfectly　happy。　　Always　there　was　the　fear　that　had　been　too
deep　and　strong　to　forget　so　soon。

This　bright；　fresh　morning；　in　March；　Helen　came　out　upon
the　porch　to　revel　a　little　in　the　warmth　of　sunshine　and
the　crisp；　pine…scented　wind　that　swept　down　from　the
mountains。　　There　was　never　a　morning　that　she　did　not　gaze
mountainward；　trying　to　see；　with　a　folly　she　realized；　if
the　snow　had　melted　more　perceptibly　away　on　the　bold　white
ridge。　　For　all　she　could　see　it　had　not　melted　an　inch；　and
she　would　not　confess　why　she　sighed。　　The　desert　had　become
green　and　fresh；　stretching　away　there　far　below　her　range；
growing　dark　and　purple　in　the　distance　with　vague　buttes
rising。　　The　air　was　full　of　sound　　notes　of　blackbirds　and
the　baas　of　sheep；　and　blasts　from　the　corrals；　and　the
clatter　of　light　hoofs　on　the　court　below。

Bo　was　riding　in　from　the　stables。　　Helen　loved　to　watch　her
on　one　of　those　fiery　little　mustangs；　but　the　sight　was
likewise　given　to　rousing　apprehensions。　　This　morning　Bo
appeared　particularly　bent　on　frightening　Helen。　　Down　the
lane　Carmichael　appeared；　waving　his　arms；　and　Helen　at　once
connected　him　with　Bo's　manifest　desire　to　fly　away　from
that　particular　place。　　Since　that　day；　a　month　back；　when　Bo
had　confessed　her　love　for　Carmichael；　she　and　Helen　had　not
spoken　of　it　or　of　the　cowboy。　　The　boy　and　girl　were　still
at　odds。　　But　this　did　not　worry　Helen。　　Bo　had　changed　much
for　the　better；　especially　in　that　she　devoted　herself　to
Helen　and　to　her　work。　　Helen　knew　that　all　would　turn　out
well　in　the　end；　and　so　she　had　been　careful　of　her　rather
precarious　position　between　these　two　young　firebrands。

Bo　reined　in　the　mustang　at　the　porch　steps。　　She　wore　a
buckskin　riding…suit　which　she　had　made　herself；　and　its
soft　gray　with　the　touches　of　red　beads　was　mightily
becoming　to　her。　　Then　she　had　grown　considerably　during　the
winter　and　now　looked　too　flashing　and　pretty　to　resemble　a
boy；　yet　singularly　healthy　and　strong　and　lithe。　　Red　spots
shone　in　her　cheeks　and　her　eyes　held　that　ever…dangerous
blaze。

〃Nell；　did　you　give　me　away　to　that　cowboy？〃　she　demanded。

〃Give　you　away！〃　exclaimed　Helen；　blankly。

〃Yes。　　You　know　I　told　you　　awhile　back　　that　I　was
wildly　in　love　with　him。　　Did　you　give　me　away　　tell　on　me？
〃

She　might　have　been　furious；　but　she　certainly　was　not
confused。

〃Why；　Bo！　　How　could　you？　　No。　　I　did　not；〃　replied　Helen。

〃Never　gave　him　a　hint？〃

〃Not　even　a　hint。　　You　have　my　word　for　that。　　Why？　　What's
happened？〃

〃He　makes　me　sick。〃

Bo　would　not　say　any　more；　owing　to　the　near　approach　of　the
cowboy。

〃Mawnin'；　Miss　Nell；〃　he　drawled