the man of the forest-第42节

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the　ranch　that　had　fallen　upon　her　shoulders。

〃Wal；　I　reckon　you　was　deluded；　all　right　　if　you　thought
I'd　crawl　like　them　other　lovers　of　yours；〃　he　said；　with
cool　deliberation。

Bo　turned　pale；　and　her　eyes　fairly　blazed；　yet　even　in　what
must　have　been　her　fury　Helen　saw　amaze　and　pain。

〃OTHER　lovers？　　I　think　the　biggest　delusion　here　is　the　way
you　flatter　yourself；〃　replied　Bo；　stingingly。

〃Me　flatter　myself？　　Nope。　　You　don't　savvy　me。　　I'm　shore
hatin'　myself　these　days。〃

〃Small　wonder。　　I　certainly　hate　you　　with　all　my　heart！〃

At　this　retort　the　cowboy　dropped　his　head　and　did　not　see
Bo　flaunt　herself　out　of　the　room。　　But　he　heard　the　door
close；　and　then　slowly　came　toward　Helen。

〃Cheer　up；　Las　Vegas；〃　said　Helen；　smiling。　　〃Bo's
hot…tempered。〃

〃Miss　Nell；　I'm　just　like　a　dog。　　The　meaner　she　treats　me
the　more　I　love　her；〃　he　replied；　dejectedly。

To　Helen's　first　instinct　of　liking　for　this　cowboy　there
had　been　added　admiration；　respect；　and　a　growing
appreciation　of　strong；　faithful；　developing　character。
Carmichael's　face　and　hands　were　red　and　chapped　from　winter
winds；　the　leather　of　wrist…bands；　belt；　and　boots　was　all
worn　shiny　and　thin；　little　streaks　of　dust　fell　from　him　as
he　breathed　heavily。　　He　no　longer　looked　the　dashing　cowboy；
ready　for　a　dance　or　lark　or　fight。

〃How　in　the　world　did　you　offend　her　so？〃　asked　Helen。　　〃Bo
is　furious。　　I　never　saw　her　so　angry　as　that。〃

〃Miss　Nell；　it　was　jest　this　way；〃　began　Carmichael。　　〃Shore
Bo's　knowed　I　was　in　love　with　her。　　I　asked　her　to　marry　me
an'　she　wouldn't　say　yes　or　no。　。　。　。　　An'；　mean　as　it　sounds
　she　never　run　away　from　it；　thet's　shore。　　We've　had　some
quarrels　　two　of　them　bad；　an'　this　last's　the　worst。〃

〃Bo　told　me　about　one　quarrel；〃　said　Helen。　　〃It　was　
because　you　drank　　that　time。〃

〃Shore　it　was。　　She　took　one　of　her　cold　spells　an'　I　jest
got　drunk。〃

〃But　that　was　wrong；〃　protested　Helen。

〃I　ain't　so　shore。　　You　see；　I　used　to　get　drunk　often　
before　I　come　here。　　An'　I've　been　drunk　only　once。　　Back　at
Las　Vegas　the　outfit　would　never　believe　thet。　　Wal；　I
promised　Bo　I　wouldn't　do　it　again；　an'　I've　kept　my　word。〃

〃That　is　fine　of　you。　　But　tell　me；　why　is　she　angry　now？〃

〃Bo　makes　up　to　all　the　fellars；〃　confessed　Carmichael；
hanging　his　head。　　〃I　took　her　to　the　dance　last　week　　over
in　the　town…hall。　　Thet's　the　first　time　she'd　gone　anywhere
with　me。　　I　shore　was　proud。　。　。　。　　But　thet　dance　was　hell。
Bo　carried　on　somethin'　turrible；　an'　I　〃

〃Tell　me。　　What　did　she　do？〃　demanded　Helen；　anxiously。　　〃I'm
responsible　for　her。　　I've　got　to　see　that　she　behaves。〃

〃Aw；　I　ain't　sayin'　she　didn't　behave　like　a　lady；〃　replied
Carmichael。　　〃It　was　　she　　wal；　all　them　fellars　are
fools　over　her　　an'　Bo　wasn't　true　to　me。〃

〃My　dear　boy；　is　Bo　engaged　to　you？〃

〃Lord　　if　she　only　was！〃　he　sighed。

〃Then　how　can　you　say　she　wasn't　true　to　you？　　Be
reasonable。〃

〃I　reckon　now；　Miss　Nell；　thet　no　one　can　be　in　love　an'　act
reasonable；〃　rejoined　the　cowboy。　　〃I　don't　know　how　to
explain；　but　the　fact　is　I　feel　thet　Bo　has　played　the　
the　devil　with　me　an'　all　the　other　fellars。〃

〃You　mean　she　has　flirted？〃

〃I　reckon。〃

〃Las　Vegas；　I'm　afraid　you're　right；〃　said　Helen；　with
growing　apprehension。　　〃Go　on。　　Tell　me　what's　happened。〃

〃Wal；　thet　Turner　boy；　who　rides　for　Beasley；　he　was　hot
after　Bo；〃　returned　Carmichael；　and　he　spoke　as　if　memory
hurt　him。　　〃Reckon　I've　no　use　for　Turner。　　He's　a
fine…lookin'；　strappin'；　big　cow…puncher；　an'　calculated　to
win　the　girls。　　He　brags　thet　he　can；　an'　I　reckon　he's
right。　　Wal；　he　was　always　hangin'　round　Bo。　　An'　he　stole　one
of　my　dances　with　Bo。　　I　only　had　three；　an'　he　comes　up　to
say　this　one　was　his；　Bo；　very　innocent　　oh；　she's　a　cute
one！　　　she　says；　'Why；　Mister　Turner　　is　it　really
yours？'　An'　she　looked　so　full　of　joy　thet　when　he　says　to
me；　'Excoose　us；　friend　Carmichael；'　I　sat　there　like　a
locoed　jackass　an'　let　them　go。　　But　I　wasn't　mad　at　thet。　　He
was　a　better　dancer　than　me　an'　I　wanted　her　to　have　a　good
time。　　What　started　the　hell　was　I　seen　him　put　his　arm　round
her　when　it　wasn't　just　time；　accordin'　to　the　dance；　an'　Bo
　she　didn't　break　any　records　gettin'　away　from　him。　　She
pushed　him　away　　after　a　little　　after　I　near　died。　　Wal；
on　the　way　home　I　had　to　tell　her。　　I　shore　did。　　An'　she　said
what　I'd　love　to　forget。　　Then　　then；　Miss　Nell；　I　grabbed
her　　it　was　outside　here　by　the　porch　an'　all　bright
moonlight　　I　grabbed　her　an'　hugged　an'　kissed　her　good。
When　I　let　her　go　I　says；　sorta　brave；　but　I　was　plumb
scared　　I　says；　〃Wal；　are　you　goin'　to　marry　me　now？'〃

He　concluded　with　a　gulp；　and　looked　at　Helen　with　woe　in
his　eyes。

〃Oh！　　What　did　Bo　do？〃　breathlessly　queried　Helen。

〃She　slapped　me；〃　he　replied。　　〃An'　then　she　says；　I　did　like
you　best；　but　NOW　I　hate　you！'　An'　she　slammed　the　door　in
my　face。〃

〃I　think　you　made　a　great　mistake；〃　said　Helen；　gravely。

〃Wal；　if　I　thought　so　I'd　beg　her　forgiveness。　　But　I　reckon
I　don't。　　What's　more；　I　feel　better　than　before。　　I'm　only　a
cowboy　an'　never　was　much　good　till　I　met　her。　　Then　I
braced。　　I　got　to　havin'　hopes；　studyin'　books；　an'　you　know
how　I've　been　lookin'　into　this　ranchin'　game。　　I　stopped
drinkin'　an'　saved　my　money。　　Wal；　she　knows　all　thet。　　Once
she　said　she　was　proud　of　me。　　But　it　didn't　seem　to　count
big　with　her。　　An'　if　it　can't　count　big　I　don't　want　it　to
count　at　all。　　I　reckon　the　madder　Bo　is　at　me　the　more
chance　I've　got。　　She　knows　I　love　her　　thet　I'd　die　for
her　　thet　I'm　a　changed　man。　　An'　she　knows　I　never　before
thought　of　darin'　to　touch　her　hand。　　An'　she　knows　she
flirted　with　Turner。〃

〃She's　only　a　child；〃　replied　Helen。　　〃And　all　this　change　
the　West　　the　wildness　　and　you　boys　making　much　of　her
　why；　it's　turned　her　head。　　But　Bo　will　come　out　of　it
true　blue。　　She　is　good；　loving。　　Her　heart　is　gold。〃

〃I　reckon　I　know；　an'　my　faith　can't　be　shook；〃　rejoined
Carmichael；　simply。　　〃But　she　ought　to　believe　thet　she'll
make　bad　blood　out　here。　　The　West　is　the　West。　　Any　kind　of
girls　are　scarce。　　An'　one　like　Bo　　Lord！　　we　cowboys　never
seen　none　to　compare　with　her。　　She'll　make　bad　blood　an'
some　of　it　will　be　spilled。〃

〃Uncle　Al　encourages　her；〃　said　Helen；　apprehensively。　　〃It
tickles　him　to　hear　how　the　boys　are　after　her。　　Oh；　she
doesn't　tell　him。　　But　he　hears。　　And　I；　who　must　stand　in
mother's　place　to　her；　what　can　I　do？〃

〃Miss　Nell；　are　you　on　my　side？〃　asked　the　cowboy；
wistfully。　　He　was　strong　and　elemental；　caught　in　the　toils
of　some　power　beyond　him。

Yesterday　Helen　might　have　hesitated　at　that　question。　　But
to…day　Carmichael　brought　some　proven　quality　of　loyalty；
some　strange　depth　of　rugged　sincerity；　as　if　she　had
learned　his　future　worth。

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　Helen　replied；　earnestly。　　And　she　offered　her
hand。

〃Wal；　then　it　'll　shore　turn　out　happy；〃　he　said；　squeezing
her　hand。　　His　smile　was　grateful；　but　there　was　nothing　in
it　of　the　victory　he　hinted　at。　　Some　of　his　ruddy　color　had
gone。　　〃An'　now　I　want　to　tell　you　why　I　come。〃

He　had　lowered　his　voice。　　〃Is　Al　asleep？〃　he　whispered。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Helen。　　〃He　was　a　little　while　ago。〃

〃Reckon　I'd　better　shut　his　door。〃

Helen　watched　the　cowboy　glide　across　the　room　and　carefully
close　the　door；　then　return　to　her　with　intent　eyes。　　She
sensed　events　in　his　look；　and　she　divined　suddenly　that　he
must　feel　as　if　he　were　her　brother。

〃Shore　I'm　the　one　thet　fetches　all　the　bad　news　to　you；〃　he
said；　regretfully。

Helen　caught　her　breath。　　There　had　indeed　been　many　little
calamities　to　mar　her　management　of　the　ranch　　loss　of
cattle；　horses；　sheep　　the　desertion　of　herders　to　Beasley
　failure　of　freighters　to　arrive　when　most　needed　
fights　among　the　cowboys　　and　disagreements　over
long…arranged　deals。

〃Your　uncle　Al　makes　a　heap　of　this　here　Jeff　Mulvey；〃
asserted　Carmichael。

〃Yes；　indeed。　　Uncle　absolutely　relies　on　Jeff；〃　replied
Helen。

〃Wal；　I　hate　to　tell　you；　Miss　Nell；〃　said　the　cowboy；
bitterly；　〃thet　Mulvey　ain't　the　man　he　seems。〃

〃Oh；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃When　your　uncle　dies　Mulvey　is　goin'　over　to　Beasley　an'
he's　goin'　to　take　all　the　fellars　who'll　stick　to　him。〃

〃Could　Jeff　be　so　faithless　　after　so　many　years　my
uncle's　foreman？　　Oh；　how　do　you　know？〃

〃Reckon　I　guessed　long　ago。　　But　wasn't　shore。　　Miss　Nell；
there's　a　lot　in　the　wind　lately；　as　poor　old　Al　grows
weaker。　　Mulvey　has　been　particular　friendly　to　me　an'　I've
nursed　him　along；　'cept　I　wouldn't　drink。　　An'　his　pards　have
been　particular　friends　with　me；　too；　more　an'　more　as　I
loosened　up。　　You　see；　they　was　shy　of　me　when　I　first　got
here。　　To…day　the　whole　deal　showed　clear　to　me　like　a　hoof
track　in　soft　ground。　　Bud　Lewis；　who's　bunked　with　me；　come
out　an'　tried　to　win　me　over　to　Beasley　　soon　as
Auchincloss　dies。　　I　palavered　with　Bud　an'　I　wanted　to　know。
But　Bud　would　only　say　he　was　goin'　along　with　Jeff　an'
others　of　the　outfit。　　I　told　him　I'd　reckon　over　it　an'　let
him　know。　　He　thinks　I'll　come　round。〃

〃Why　　why　will　these　men　leave　me　when　　when　　Oh；　po