the man of the forest-第55章

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〃I　believe　he　did　ask　how　you　were　　something　like　that。〃

〃Humph！　　Nell；　I　don't　always　trust　you。〃　After　that　she
relapsed　into　silence；　read　awhile；　and　dreamed　awhile；
looking　into　the　fire；　and　then　she　limped　over　to　kiss
Helen　good　night　and　left　the　room。

Next　day　she　was　rather　quiet；　seeming　upon　the　verge　of　one
of　the　dispirited　spells　she　got　infrequently。　　Early　in　the
evening；　just　after　the　lights　had　been　lit　and　she　had
joined　Helen　in　the　sitting…room；　a　familiar　step　sounded　on
the　loose　boards　of　the　porch。

Helen　went　to　the　door　to　admit　Carmichael。　　He　was
clean…shaven；　dressed　in　his　dark　suit；　which　presented　such
marked　contrast　from　his　riding…garb；　and　he　wore　a　flower
in　his　buttonhole。　　Nevertheless；　despite　all　this　style；　he
seemed　more　than　usually　the　cool；　easy；　careless　cowboy。

〃Evenin'；　Miss　Helen；〃　he　said；　as　he　stalked　in。　　〃Evenin'；
Miss　Bo。　　How　are　you…all？〃

Helen　returned　his　greeting　with　a　welcoming　smile。

〃Good　evening　　TOM；〃　said　Bo；　demurely。

That　assuredly　was　the　first　time　she　had　ever　called　him
Tom。　　As　she　spoke　she　looked　distractingly　pretty　and
tantalizing。　　But　if　she　had　calculated　to　floor　Carmichael
with　the　initial；　half…promising；　wholly　mocking　use　of　his
name　she　had　reckoned　without　cause。　　The　cowboy　received
that　greeting　as　if　he　had　heard　her　use　it　a　thousand　times
or　had　not　heard　it　at　all。　　Helen　decided　if　he　was　acting　a
part　he　was　certainly　a　clever　actor。　　He　puzzled　her
somewhat；　but　she　liked　his　look；　and　his　easy　manner；　and
the　something　about　him　that　must　have　been　his　unconscious
sense　of　pride。　　He　had　gone　far　enough；　perhaps　too　far；　in
his　overtures　to　Bo。

〃How　are　you　feelin'？〃　be　asked。

〃I'm　better　to…day；〃　she　replied；　with　downcast　eyes。　　〃But
I'm　lame　yet。〃

〃Reckon　that　bronc　piled　you　up。　　Miss　Helen　said　there　shore
wasn't　any　joke　about　the　cut　on　your　knee。　　Now；　a　fellar's
knee　is　a　bad　place　to　hurt；　if　he　has　to　keep　on　ridin'。〃

〃Oh；　I'll　be　well　soon。　　How's　Sam？　　I　hope　he　wasn't
crippled。〃

〃Thet　Sam　　why；　he's　so　tough　he　never　knowed　he　had　a
fall。〃

〃Tom　　I　　I　want　to　thank　you　for　giving　Riggs　what　he
deserved。〃

She　spoke　it　earnestly；　eloquently；　and　for　once　she　had　no
sly　little　intonation　or　pert　allurement；　such　as　was　her
wont　to　use　on　this　infatuated　young　man。

〃Aw；　you　heard　about　that；〃　replied　Carmichael；　with　a　wave
of　his　hand　to　make　light　of　it。　　〃Nothin'　much。　　It　had　to　be
done。　　An'　shore　I　was　afraid　of　Roy。　　He'd　been　bad。　　An'　so
would　any　of　the　other　boys。　　I'm　sorta　lookin'　out　for　all
of　them；　you　know；　actin'　as　Miss　Helen's　foreman　now。〃

Helen　was　unutterably　tickled。　　The　effect　of　his　speech　upon
Bo　was　stupendous。　　He　had　disarmed　her。　　He　had；　with　the
finesse　and　tact　and　suavity　of　a　diplomat；　removed　himself
from　obligation；　and　the　detachment　of　self；　the　casual
thing　be　apparently　made　out　of　his　magnificent
championship；　was　bewildering　and　humiliating　to　Bo。　　She　sat
silent　for　a　moment　or　two　while　Helen　tried　to　fit　easily
into　the　conversation。　　It　was　not　likely　that　Bo　would　long
be　at　a　loss　for　words；　and　also　it　was　immensely　probable
that　with　a　flash　of　her　wonderful　spirit　she　would　turn　the
tables　on　her　perverse　lover　in　a　twinkling。　　Anyway；　plain
it　was　that　a　lesson　had　sunk　deep。　　She　looked　startled；
hurt；　wistful；　and　finally　sweetly　defiant。

〃But　　you　told　Riggs　I　was　your　girl！〃　Thus　Bo　unmasked
her　battery。　　And　Helen　could　not　imagine　how　Carmichael
would　ever　resist　that　and　the　soft；　arch　glance　which
accompanied　it。

Helen　did　not　yet　know　the　cowboy；　any　more　than　did　Bo。

〃Shore。　　I　had　to　say　thet。　　I　had　to　make　it　strong　before
thet　gang。　　I　reckon　it　was　presumin'　of　me；　an'　I　shore
apologize。〃

Bo　stared　at　him；　and　then；　giving　a　little　gasp；　she
drooped。

〃Wal；　I　just　run　in　to　say　howdy　an'　to　inquire　after
you…all；〃　said　Carmichael。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　the　dance；　an'　as
Flo　lives　out　of　town　a　ways　I'd　shore　better　rustle。　。　。　。
Good　night；　Miss　Bo；　I　hope　you'll　be　ridin'　Sam　soon。　　An'
good　night；　Miss　Helen。〃

Bo　roused　to　a　very　friendly　and　laconic　little　speech；　much
overdone。　　Carmichael　strode　out；　and　Helen；　bidding　him
good…by；　closed　the　door　after　him。

The　instant　he　had　departed　Bo's　transformation　was　tragic。

〃Flo！　　He　meant　Flo　Stubbs　　that　ugly；　cross…eyed；　bold；
little　frump！〃

〃Bo！〃　expostulated　Helen。　　〃The　young　lady　is　not　beautiful；
I　grant；　but　she's　very　nice　and　pleasant。　　I　liked　her。〃

〃Nell　Rayner；　men　are　no　good！　　And　cowboys　are　the　worst！〃
declared　Bo；　terribly。

〃Why　didn't　you　appreciate　Tom　when　you　had　him？〃　asked
Helen。

Bo　had　been　growing　furious；　but　now　the　allusion；　in　past
tense；　to　the　conquest　she　had　suddenly　and　amazingly　found
dear　quite　broke　her　spirit。　　It　was　a　very　pale；　unsteady；
and　miserable　girl　who　avoided　Helen's　gaze　and　left　the
room。

Next　day　Bo　was　not　approachable　from　any　direction。　　Helen
found　her　a　victim　to　a　multiplicity　of　moods；　ranging　from
woe　to　dire；　dark　broodings；　from　them　to'　wistfulness；　and
at　last　to　a　pride　that　sustained　her。

Late　in　the　afternoon；　at　Helen's　leisure　hour；　when　she　and
Bo　were　in　the　sitting…room；　horses　tramped　into　the　court
and　footsteps　mounted　the　porch。　　Opening　to　a　loud　knock；
Helen　was　surprised　to　see　Beasley。　　And　out　in　the　court
were　several　mounted　horsemen。　　Helen's　heart　sank。　　This
visit；　indeed；　had　been　foreshadowed。

〃Afternoon；　Miss　Rayner；〃　said　Beasley；　doffing　his
sombrero。　　〃I've　called　on　a　little　business　deal。　　Will　you
see　me？〃

Helen　acknowledged　his　greeting　while　she　thought　rapidly。
She　might　just　as　well　see　him　and　have　that　inevitable
interview　done　with。

〃Come　in；〃　she　said；　and　when　he　had　entered　she　closed　the
door。　　〃My　sister；　Mr。　　Beasley。〃

〃How　d'　you　do；　Miss？〃　said　the　rancher；　in　bluff；　loud
voice。

Bo　acknowledged　the　introduction　with　a　frigid　little　bow。

At　close　range　Beasley　seemed　a　forceful　personality　as　well
as　a　rather　handsome　man　of　perhaps　thirty…five；　heavy　of
build；　swarthy　of　skin；　and　sloe…black　of　eye；　like　that　of
the　Mexicans　whose　blood　was　reported　to　be　in　him。　　He
looked　crafty；　confident；　and　self…centered。　　If　Helen　had
never　heard　of　him　before　that　visit　she　would　have
distrusted　him。

〃I'd　called　sooner；　but　I　was　waitin'　for　old　Jose；　the
Mexican　who　herded　for　me　when　I　was　pardner　to　your　uncle；〃
said　Beasley；　and　he　sat　down　to　put　his　huge　gloved　hands
on　his　knees。

〃Yes？〃　queried　Helen；　interrogatively。

〃Jose　rustled　over　from　Magdalena；　an'　now　I　can　back　up　my
claim。　。　。　。　　Miss　Rayner；　this　hyar　ranch　ought　to　be　mine
an'　is　mine。　　It　wasn't　so　big　or　so　well　stocked　when　Al
Auchincloss　beat　me　out　of　it。　　I　reckon　I'll　allow　for　thet。
I've　papers；　an'　old　Jose　for　witness。　　An'　I　calculate
you'll　pay　me　eighty　thousand　dollars；　or　else　I'll　take
over　the　ranch。〃

Beasley　spoke　in　an　ordinary；　matter…of…fact　tone　that
certainly　seemed　sincere；　and　his　manner　was　blunt；　but
perfectly　natural。

〃Mr。　　Beasley；　your　claim　is　no　news　to　me；〃　responded　Helen；
quietly。　　〃I've　heard　about　it。　　And　I　questioned　my　uncle。　　He
swore　on　his　death…bed　that　he　did　not　owe　you　a　dollar。
Indeed；　he　claimed　the　indebtedness　was　yours　to　him。　　I
could　find　nothing　in　his　papers；　so　I　must　repudiate　your
claim。　　I　will　not　take　it　seriously。〃

〃Miss　Rayner；　I　can't　blame　you　for　takin'　Al's　word　against
mine；〃　said　Beasley。　　〃An'　your　stand　is　natural。　　But　you're
a　stranger　here　an'　you　know　nothin'　of　stock　deals　in　these
ranges。　　It　ain't　fair　to　speak　bad　of　the　dead；　but　the
truth　is　thet　Al　Auchincloss　got　his　start　by　stealin'　sheep
an'　unbranded　cattle。　　Thet　was　the　start　of　every　rancher　I
know。　　It　was　mine。　　An'　we　none　of　us　ever　thought　of　it　as
rustlin'。〃

Helen　could　only　stare　her　surprise　and　doubt　at　this
statement。

〃Talk's　cheap　anywhere；　an'　in　the　West　talk　ain't　much　at
all；〃　continued　Beasley。　　〃I'm　no　talker。　　I　jest　want　to　tell
my　case　an'　make　a　deal　if　you'll　have　it。　　I　can　prove　more
in　black　an'　white；　an'　with　witness；　than　you　can。　　Th