the man of the forest-第75章
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she must go。
Helen did not need to be told what this visit meant。 Many as
her conjectures had been； however； she had not thought of
Beasley subjecting her to this outrage。 And her blood
boiled。
〃How dare you！〃 she said； trembling in her effort to control
her temper。 But class； authority； voice availed nothing with
these swarthy Mexicans。 They grinned。 Another laid hold of
Helen with dirty； brown hand。 She shrank from the contact。
〃Let go！〃 she burst out； furiously。 And instinctively she
began to struggle to free herself。 Then they all took hold
of her。 Helen's dignity might never have been！ A burning；
choking rush of blood was her first acquaintance with the
terrible passion of anger that was her inheritance from the
Auchinclosses。 She who had resolved never to lay herself
open to indignity now fought like a tigress。 The Mexicans；
jabbering in their excitement； had all they could do； until
they lifted her bodily from the porch。 They handled her as
if she had been a half…empty sack of corn。 One holding each
hand and foot they packed her； with dress disarranged and
half torn off； down the path to the lane and down the lane
to the road。 There they stood upright and pushed her off her
property。
Through half…blind eyes Helen saw them guarding the gateway；
ready to prevent her entrance。 She staggered down the road
to the village。 It seemed she made her way through a red
dimness that there was a congestion in her brain that
the distance to Mrs。 Cass's cottage was insurmountable。 But
she got there； to stagger up the path； to hear the old
woman's cry。 Dizzy； faint； sick； with a blackness enveloping
all she looked at； Helen felt herself led into the
sitting…room and placed in the big chair。
Presently sight and clearness of mind returned to her。 She
saw Roy； white as a sheet； questioning her with terrible
eyes。 The old woman hung murmuring over her； trying to
comfort her as well as fasten the disordered dress。
〃Four greasers packed me down the hill threw me off
my ranch into the road！〃 panted Helen。
She seemed to tell this also to her own consciousness and to
realize the mighty wave of danger that shook her whole body。
〃If I'd known I would have killed them！〃
She exclaimed that； full…voiced and hard； with dry； hot eyes
on her friends。 Roy reached out to take her hand； speaking
huskily。 Helen did not distinguish what he said。 The
frightened old woman knelt； with unsteady fingers fumbling
over the rents in Helen's dress。 The moment came when
Helen's quivering began to subside； when her blood quieted
to let her reason sway； when she began to do battle with her
rage； and slowly to take fearful stock of this consuming
peril that had been a sleeping tigress in her veins。
〃Oh； Miss Helen； you looked so turrible； I made sure you was
hurted；〃 the old woman was saying。
Helen gazed strangely at her bruised wrists； at the one
stocking that hung down over her shoe…top； at the rent I
which had bared her shoulder to the profane gaze of those
grinning； beady…eyed Mexicans。
〃My body's not hurt；〃 she whispered。
Roy had lost some of his whiteness； and where his eyes had
been fierce they were now kind。
〃Wal； Miss Nell； it's lucky no harm's done。 。 。 。 Now if
you'll only see this whole deal clear！ 。 。 。 Not let it
spoil your sweet way of lookin' an' hopin'！ If you can only
see what's raw in this West an' love it jest the same！〃
Helen only half divined his meaning； but that was enough for
a future reflection。 The West was beautiful； but hard。 In
the faces of these friends she began to see the meaning of
the keen； sloping lines； and shadows of pain； of a lean；
naked truth； cut as from marble。
〃For the land's sakes； tell us all about it；〃 importuned
Mrs。 Cass。
Whereupon Helen shut her eyes and told the brief narrative
of her expulsion from her home。
〃Shore we…all expected thet；〃 said Roy。 〃An' it's jest as
well you're here with a whole skin。 Beasley's in possession
now an' I reckon we'd all sooner hev you away from thet
ranch。〃
〃But； Roy； I won't let Beasley stay there；〃 cried Helen。
〃Miss Nell； shore by the time this here Pine has growed big
enough fer law you'll hev gray in thet pretty hair。 You
can't put Beasley off with your honest an' rightful claim。
Al Auchincloss was a hard driver。 He made enemies an' he
made some he didn't kill。 The evil men do lives after them。
An' you've got to suffer fer Al's sins； though Al was as
good as any man who ever prospered in these parts。〃
〃Oh； what can I do？ I won't give up。 I've been robbed。 Can't
the people help me？ Must I meekly sit with my hands crossed
while that half…breed thief Oh； it's unbelievable！〃
〃I reckon you'll jest hev to be patient fer a few days；〃
said Roy； calmly。 〃It'll all come right in the end。〃
〃Roy！ You've had this deal； as you call it； all worked out
in mind for a long time！〃 exclaimed Helen。
〃Shore； an' I 'ain't missed a reckonin' yet。〃
〃Then what will happen in a few days？〃
〃Nell Rayner； are you goin' to hev some spunk an' not lose
your nerve again or go wild out of your head？〃
〃I'll try to be brave； but but I must be prepared；〃 she
replied； tremulously。
〃Wal； there's Dale an' Las Vegas an' me fer Beasley to
reckon with。 An'； Miss Nell； his chances fer long life are
as pore as his chances fer heaven！〃
〃But； Roy； I don't believe in deliberate taking of life；〃
replied Helen； shuddering。 〃That's against my religion。 I
won't allow it。 。 。 。 And then think； Dale； all of you
in danger！〃
〃Girl； how 're you ever goin' to help yourself ？ Shore you
might hold Dale back； if you love him； an' swear you won't
give yourself to him。 。 。 。 An' I reckon I'd respect your
religion； if you was goin' to suffer through me。 。 。 。 But
not Dale nor you nor Bo nor love or heaven or hell can
ever stop thet cowboy Las Vegas！〃
〃Oh； if Dale brings Bo back to me what will I care for my
ranch？〃 murmured Helen。
〃Reckon you'll only begin to care when thet happens。 Your
big hunter has got to be put to work；〃 replied Roy； with his
keen smile。
Before noon that day the baggage Helen had packed at home
was left on the porch of Widow Cass's cottage； and Helen's
anxious need of the hour was satisfied。 She was made
comfortable in the old woman's one spare room； and she set
herself the task of fortitude and endurance。
To her surprise； many of Mrs。 Cass's neighbors came
unobtrusively to the back door of the little cottage and
made sympathetic inquiries。 They appeared a subdued and
apprehensive group； and whispered to one another as they
left。 Helen gathered from their visits a conviction that the
wives of the men dominated by Beasley believed no good could
come of this high…handed taking over of the ranch。 Indeed；
Helen found at the end of the day that a strength had been
borne of her misfortune。
The next day Roy informed her that his brother John had come
down the preceding night with the news of Beasley's descent
upon the ranch。 Not a shot had been fired； and the only
damage done was that of the burning of a hay…filled barn。
This had been set on fire to attract Helen's men to one
spot； where Beasley had ridden down upon them with three
times their number。 He had boldly ordered them off the land；
unless they wanted to acknowledge him boss and remain there
in his service。 The three Beemans had stayed； having planned
that just in this event they might be valuable to Helen's
interests。 Beasley had ridden down into Pine the same as
upon any other day。 Roy reported also news which had come in
that morning； how Beasley's crowd had celebrated late the
night before。
The second and third and fourth days endlessly wore away；
and Helen believed they had made her old。 At night she lay
awake most of the time； thinking and praying； but during the
afternoon she got some sleep。 She could think of nothing and
talk of nothing except her sister； and Dale's chances of
saving her。
〃Well； shore you pay Dale a pore compliment；〃 finally
protested the patient Roy。 〃I tell you Milt Dale can do
anythin' he wants to do in the woods。 You can believe thet。
。 。 。 But I
