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the man of the forest-第72部分
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〃GREASER; COME ON!〃 he thundered。
Then Beasley; with desperate; frantic action; jerked for his
gun。
CHAPTER XXVI
For Helen Rayner that brief; dark period of expulsion from
her home had become a thing of the past; almost forgotten。
Two months had flown by on the wings of love and work and
the joy of finding her place there in the West。 All her old
men had been only too glad of the opportunity to come back
to her; and under Dale and Roy Beeman a different and
prosperous order marked the life of the ranch。
Helen had made changes in the house by altering the
arrangement of rooms and adding a new section。 Only once had
she ventured into the old dining…room where Las Vegas
Carmichael had sat down to that fatal dinner for Beasley。
She made a store…room of it; and a place she would never
again enter。
Helen was happy; almost too happy; she thought; and
therefore made more than needful of the several bitter drops
in her sweet cup of life。 Carmichael had ridden out of Pine;
ostensibly on the trail of the Mexicans who had executed
Beasley's commands。 The last seen of him had been reported
from Show Down; where he had appeared red…eyed and
dangerous; like a hound on a scent。 Then two months had
flown by without a word。
Dale had shaken his head doubtfully when interrogated about
the cowboy's absence。 It would be just like Las Vegas never
to be heard of again。 Also it would be more like him to
remain away until all trace of his drunken; savage spell had
departed from him and had been forgotten by his friends。 Bo
took his disappearance apparently less to heart than Helen。
But Bo grew more restless; wilder; and more wilful than
ever。 Helen thought she guessed Bo's secret; and once she
ventured a hint concerning Carmichael's return。
〃If Tom doesn't come back pretty soon I'll marry Milt Dale;〃
retorted Bo; tauntingly。
This fired Helen's cheeks with red。
〃But; child;〃 she protested; half angry; half grave。 〃Milt
and I are engaged。〃
〃Sure。 Only you're so slow。 There's many a slip you
know。〃
〃Bo; I tell you Tom will come back;〃 replied Helen;
earnestly。 〃I feel it。 There was something fine in that
cowboy。 He understood me better than you or Milt; either。 。
。 。 And he was perfectly wild in love with you。〃
〃Oh! WAS he?〃
〃Very much more than you deserved; Bo Rayner。〃
Then occurred one of Bo's sweet; bewildering; unexpected
transformations。 Her defiance; resentment; rebelliousness;
vanished from a softly agitated face。
〃Oh; Nell; I know that。 。 。 。 You just watch me if I ever
get another chance at him! 。 。 。 Then maybe he'd never
drink again!〃
〃Bo; be happy and be good。 Don't ride off any more
don't tease the boys。 It'll all come right in the end。〃
Bo recovered her equanimity quickly enough。
〃Humph! You can afford to be cheerful。 You've got a man who
can't live when you're out of his sight。 He's like a fish on
dry land。 。 。 。 And you why; once you were an old
pessimist!〃
Bo was not to be consoled or changed。 Helen could only sigh
and pray that her convictions would be verified。
The first day of July brought an early thunder…storm; just
at sunrise。 It roared and flared and rolled away; leaving a
gorgeous golden cloud pageant in the sky and a fresh;
sweetly smelling; glistening green range that delighted
Helen's eye。
Birds were twittering in the arbors and bees were humming in
the flowers。 From the fields down along the brook came a
blended song of swamp…blackbird and meadow…lark。 A
clarion…voiced burro split the air with his coarse and
homely bray。 The sheep were bleating; and a soft baa of
little lambs came sweetly to Helen's ears。 She went her
usual rounds with more than usual zest and thrill。
Everywhere was color; activity; life。 The wind swept warm
and pine…scented down from the mountain heights; now black
and bold; and the great green slopes seemed to call to her。
At that very moment she came suddenly upon Dale; in his
shirt…sleeves; dusty and hot; standing motionless; gazing at
the distant mountains。 Helen's greeting startled him。
〃I I was just looking away yonder;〃 he said; smiling。 She
thrilled at the clear; wonderful light of his eyes。
〃So was I a moment ago;〃 she replied; wistfully。 〃Do you
miss the forest very much?〃
〃Nell; I miss nothing。 But I'd like to ride with you under
the pines once more。〃
〃We'll go;〃 she cried。
〃When?〃 he asked; eagerly。
〃Oh soon!〃 And then with flushed face and downcast eyes
she passed on。 For long Helen had cherished a fond hope that
she might be married in Paradise Park; where she had fallen
in love with Dale and had realized herself。 But she had kept
that hope secret。 Dale's eager tone; his flashing eyes; had
made her feel that her secret was there in her telltale
face。
As she entered the lane leading to the house she encountered
one of the new stable…boys driving a pack…mule。
〃Jim; whose pack is that?〃 she asked。
〃Ma'am; I dunno; but I heard him tell Roy he reckoned his
name was mud;〃 replied the boy; smiling。
Helen's heart gave a quick throb。 That sounded like Las
Vegas。 She hurried on; and upon entering the courtyard she
espied Roy Beeman holding the halter of a beautiful;
wild…looking mustang。 There was another horse with another
man; who was in the act of dismounting on the far side。 When
he stepped into better view Helen recognized Las Vegas。 And
he saw her at the same instant。
Helen did not look up again until she was near the porch。
She had dreaded this meeting; yet she was so glad that she
could have cried aloud。
〃Miss Helen; I shore am glad to see you;〃 he said; standing
bareheaded before her; the same young; frank…faced cowboy
she had seen first from the train。
〃Tom!〃 she exclaimed; and offered her hands。
He wrung them hard while he looked at her。 The swift woman's
glance Helen gave in return seemed to drive something dark
and doubtful out of her heart。 This was the same boy she had
known whom she had liked so well who had won her
sister's love。 Helen imagined facing him thus was like
awakening from a vague nightmare of doubt。 Carmichael's face
was clean; fresh; young; with its healthy tan; it wore the
old glad smile; cool; easy; and natural; his eyes were like
Dale's penetrating; clear as crystal; without a shadow。
What had evil; drink; blood; to do with the real inherent
nobility of this splendid specimen of Western hardihood?
Wherever he had been; whatever he had done during that long
absence; he had returned long separated from that wild and
savage character she could now forget。 Perhaps there would
never again be call for it。
〃How's my girl?〃 he asked; just as naturally as if he had
been gone a few days on some errand of his employer's。
〃Bo? Oh; she's well fine。 I I rather think she'll be
glad to see you;〃 replied Helen; warmly。
〃An' how's thet big Indian; Dale?〃 he drawled。
〃Well; too I'm sure。〃
〃Reckon I got back heah in time to see you…all married?〃
〃I I assure you I no one around here has been married
yet;〃 replied Helen; with a blush。
〃Thet shore is fine。 Was some worried;〃 he said; lazily。
〃I've been chasin' wild hosses over in New Mexico; an' I got
after this heah blue roan。 He kept me chasin' him fer a
spell。 I've fetched him back for Bo。〃
Helen looked at the mustang Roy was holding; to be instantly
delighted。 He was a roan almost blue in color; neither large
nor heavy; but powerfully built; clean…limbed; and racy;
with a long mane and tail; black as coal; and a beautiful
head that made Helen love him at once。
〃Well; I'm jealous;〃 declared Helen; archly。 〃I never did
see such a pony。〃
〃I reckoned you'd never ride any hoss but Ranger;〃 said Las
Vegas。
〃No; I never will。 But I can be jealous; anyhow; can't I?〃
〃Shore。 An I reckon if you say you're goin' to have him
wal; Bo 'd be funny;〃 he drawled。
〃I reckon she would be funny;〃 retorted Helen。 She was so
happy that she imitated his speech。 She wanted to hug him。
It was too good to be true the return of this cowboy。 He
understood her。 He had come back with nothing that could
alienate her。 He had apparently forgotten the terrible role
he had accepted and the doom he had meted out to her
enemies。 That moment was wonderful for Helen in its
revelation of the strange significance of the West as
embodied in this cowboy。 He was great。 But he did not know
that。
Then the door of the living…room opened; and a sweet; high
voice pealed out:
〃Roy! Oh; what a mustang! Whose is he?〃
〃Wal; Bo; if all I hear is so he belongs to you;〃 replied
Roy with a huge grin。
Bo appeared in the door。 She stepped out upon the porch。 She
saw the cowboy。 The excited flash of her pretty face
vanished as she paled。
〃Bo; I shore am glad to see you;〃 drawled Las Vegas; as he
stepped forward; sombrero in hand。 Helen could not see any
sign of confusion in him。 But; indeed; she saw gladness。
Then she expected to behold Bo run right into the cowboys's
arms。 It appeared; however; that she was doomed to
disappointment。
〃Tom; I'm glad to see you;〃 she replied。
They shook hands as old friends。
〃You're looki
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