the man of the forest-第53章
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that he must know the rest of her narrative。 Helen knew that
her own wide…eyed attention alone would have been
all…compelling inspiration to Bo Rayner。
〃Sure I had it wrong；〃 resumed Bo。 〃Pretty soon heard a
horse behind。 I looked back。 I saw a big bay riding down on
me。 Oh； but he was running！ He just tore through the cedars。
。 。 。 I was scared half out of my senses。 But I spurred and
beat my mustang。 Then began a race！ Rough going thick
cedars washes and gullies I had to make him run to
keep my saddle to pick my way。 Oh…h…h！ but it was
glorious！ To race for fun that's one thing； to race for
your life is another！ My heart was in my mouth choking
me。 I couldn't have yelled。 I was as cold as ice dizzy
sometimes blind others then my stomach turned and I
couldn't get my breath。 Yet the wild thrills I had！ 。 。 。
But I stuck on and held my own for several miles to the
edge of the cedars。 There the big horse gained on me。 He
came pounding closer perhaps as close as a hundred yards
I could hear him plain enough。 Then I had my spill。 Oh；
my mustang tripped threw me 'way over his head。 I hit
light； but slid far and that's what scraped me so。 I know
my knee is raw。 。 。 。 When I got to my feet the big horse
dashed up； throwing gravel all over me and his rider
jumped off。 。 。 。 Now who do you think he was？〃
Helen knew； but she did not voice her conviction。 Carmichael
knew positively； yet he kept silent。 Roy was smiling； as if
the narrative told did not seem so alarming to him。
〃Wal； the fact of you bein' here； safe an' sound； sorta
makes no difference who thet son…of…a…gun was；〃 he said。
〃Riggs！ Harve Riggs！〃 blazed Bo。 〃The instant I recognized
him I got over my scare。 And so mad I burned all through
like fire。 I don't know what I said； but it was wild and
it was a whole lot； you bet。
〃You sure can ride；' he said。
〃I demanded why he had dared to chase me； and he said he had
an important message for Nell。 This was it： 'Tell your
sister that Beasley means to put her off an' take the ranch。
If she'll marry me I'll block his deal。 If she won't marry
me； I'll go in with Beasley。' Then he told me to hurry home
and not to breathe a word to any one except Nell。 Well； here
I am and I seem to have been breathing rather fast。〃
She looked from Helen to Roy and from Roy to Las Vegas。 Her
smile was for the latter； and to any one not overexcited by
her story that smile would have told volumes。
〃Wal； I'll be doggoned！〃 ejaculated Roy； feelingly。
Helen laughed。
〃Indeed； the working of that man's mind is beyond me。 。 。 。
Marry him to save my ranch？ I wouldn't marry him to save my
life！
Carmichael suddenly broke his silence。
〃Bo； did you see the other men？〃
〃Yes。 I was coming to that；〃 she replied。 〃I caught a
glimpse of them back in the cedars。 The three were together；
or； at least； three horsemen were there。 They had halted
behind some trees。 Then on the way home I began to think。
Even in my fury I had received impressions。 Riggs was
SURPRISED when I got up。 I'll bet he had not expected me to
be who I was。 He thought I was NELL！ 。 。 。 I look bigger in
this buckskin outfit。 My hair was up till I lost my hat； and
that was when I had the tumble。 He took me for Nell。 Another
thing； I remember he made some sign some motion while
I was calling him names； and I believe that was to keep
those other men back。 。 。 。 I believe Riggs had a plan with
those other men to waylay Nell and make off with her。 I
absolutely know it。〃
〃Bo； you're so so you jump at wild ideas so；〃
protested Helen； trying to believe in her own assurance。 But
inwardly she was trembling。
〃Miss Helen； that ain't a wild idee；〃 said Roy； seriously。
〃I reckon your sister is pretty close on the trail。 Las
Vegas； don't you savvy it thet way？〃
Carmichael's answer was to stalk out of the room。
〃Call him back！〃 cried Helen； apprehensively。
〃Hold on； boy！〃 called Roy； sharply。
Helen reached the door simultaneously with Roy。 The cowboy
picked up his sombrero； jammed it on his head； gave his belt
a vicious hitch that made the gun…sheath jump； and then in
one giant step he was astride Ranger。
〃Carmichael！ Stay！〃 cried Helen。
The cowboy spurred the black； and the stones rang under
iron…shod hoofs。
〃Bo！ Call him back！ Please call him back！〃 importuned Helen；
in distress。
〃I won't；〃 declared Bo Rayner。 Her face shone whiter now and
her eyes were like fiery flint。 That was her answer to a
loving； gentle…hearted sister； that was her answer to the
call of the West。
〃No use；〃 said Roy； quietly。 〃An' I reckon I'd better trail
him up。〃
He； too； strode out and； mounting his horse； galloped
swiftly away。
It turned out that Bo； was more bruised and scraped and
shaken than she had imagined。 One knee was rather badly cut；
which injury alone would have kept her from riding again
very soon。 Helen； who was somewhat skilled at bandaging
wounds； worried a great deal over these sundry blotches on
Bo's fair skin； and it took considerable time to wash and
dress them。 Long after this was done； and during the early
supper； and afterward； Bo's excitement remained unabated。
The whiteness stayed on her face and the blaze in her eyes。
Helen ordered and begged her to go to bed； for the fact was
Bo could not stand up and her hands shook。
〃Go to bed？ Not much；〃 she said。 〃I want to know what he
does to Riggs。〃
It was that possibility which had Helen in dreadful
suspense。 If Carmichael killed Riggs； it seemed to Helen
that the bottom would drop out of this structure of Western
life she had begun to build so earnestly and fearfully。 She
did not believe that he would do so。 But the uncertainty was
torturing。
〃Dear Bo；〃 appealed Helen； 〃you don't want Oh！ you do
want Carmichael to to kill Riggs？〃
〃No； I don't； but I wouldn't care if he did；〃 replied Bo；
bluntly。
〃Do you think he will？〃
〃Nell； if that cowboy really loves me he read my mind right
here before he left；〃 declared Bo。 〃And he knew what I
thought he'd do。〃
〃And what's that？〃 faltered Helen。
〃I want him to round Riggs up down in the village
somewhere in a crowd。 I want Riggs shown up as the coward；
braggart； four…flush that he is。 And insulted； slapped；
kicked driven out of Pine！〃
Her passionate speech still rang throughout the room when
there came footsteps on the porch。 Helen hurried to raise
the bar from the door and open it just as a tap sounded on
the door…post。 Roy's face stood white out of the darkness。
His eyes were bright。 And his smile made Helen's fearful
query needless。
〃How are you…all this evenin'？〃 he drawled； as he came in。
A fire blazed on the hearth and a lamp burned on the table。
By their light Bo looked white and eager…eyed as she
reclined in the big arm…chair。
〃What 'd he do？〃 she asked； with all her amazing force。
〃Wal； now； ain't you goin' to tell me how you are？〃
〃Roy； I'm all bunged up。 I ought to be in bed； but I just
couldn't sleep till I hear what Las Vegas did。 I'd forgive
anything except him getting drunk。〃
〃Wal； I shore can ease your mind on thet；〃 replied Roy。 〃He
never drank a drop。〃
Roy was distractingly slow about beginning the tale any
child could have guessed he was eager to tell。 For once the
hard； intent quietness； the soul of labor； pain； and
endurance so plain in his face was softened by pleasurable
emotion。 He poked at the burning logs with the toe of his
boot。 Helen observed that he had changed his boots and now
wore no spurs。 Then he had gone to his quarters after
whatever had happened down in Pine。
〃Where IS he？〃 asked Bo。
〃Who？ Riggs？ Wal； I don't know。 But I reckon he's somewhere
out in the woods nursin' himself。〃
〃Not Riggs。 First tell me where HE is。〃
〃Shore； then； you must mean Las Vegas。 I just left him down
at the cabin。 He was gettin' ready for bed； early as it is。
All tired out he was an' thet white you wouldn't have knowed
him。 But he looked happy at thet； an' the last words he
said； more to himself than to me； I reckon； was； 'I'm some
locoed gent； but if she doesn't call me T
