the man of the forest-第44节

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loved　loneliness；　solitude；　the　sweet；　wild　silence　and
beauty　of　Paradise　Park！　　But　he　was　selfish；　and　Helen　meant
to　show　him　that。　　She　needed　his　help。　　When　she　recalled　his
physical　prowess　with　animals；　and　imagined　what　it　must　be
in　relation　to　men；　she　actually　smiled　at　the　thought　of
Beasley　forcing　her　off　her　property；　if　Dale　were　there。
Beasley　would　only　force　disaster　upon　himself。　　Then　Helen
experienced　a　quick　shock。　　Would　Dale　answer　to　this
situation　as　Carmichael　had　answered？　　It　afforded　her　relief
to　assure　herself　to　the　contrary。　　The　cowboy　was　one　of　a
blood…letting　breed；　the　hunter　was　a　man　of　thought；
gentleness；　humanity。　　This　situation　was　one　of　the　kind
that　had　made　him　despise　the　littleness　of　men。　　Helen
assured　herself　that　he　was　different　from　her　uncle　and
from　the　cowboy；　in　all　the　relations　of　life　which　she　had
observed　while　with　him。　　But　a　doubt　lingered　in　her　mind。
She　remembered　his　calm　reference　to　Snake　Anson；　and　that
caused　a　recurrence　of　the　little　shiver　Carmichael　had
given　her。　　When　the　doubt　augmented　to　a　possibility　that
she　might　not　be　able　to　control　Dale；　then　she　tried　not　to
think　of　it　any　more。　　It　confused　and　perplexed　her　that
into　her　mind　should　flash　a　thought　that；　though　it　would
be　dreadful　for　Carmichael　to　kill　Beasley；　for　Dale　to　do
it　would　be　a　calamity　　a　terrible　thing。　　Helen　did　not
analyze　that　strange　thought。　　She　was　as　afraid　of　it　as　she
was　of　the　stir　in　her　blood　when　she　visualized　Dale。

Her　meditation　was　interrupted　by　Bo；　who　entered　the　room；
rebellious…eyed　and　very　lofty。　　Her　manner　changed；　which
apparently　owed　its　cause　to　the；　fact　that　Helen　was　alone。

〃Is　that　　cowboy　gone？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　　He　left　quite　some　time　ago；〃　replied　Helen。

〃I　wondered　if　he　made　your　eyes　shine　　your　color　burn
so。　　Nell；　you're　just　beautiful。〃

〃Is　my　face　burning？〃　asked　Helen；　with　a　little　laugh。　　〃So
it　is。　　Well；　Bo；　you've　no　cause　for　jealousy。　　Las　Vegas
can't　be　blamed　for　my　blushes。〃

〃Jealous！　　Me？　　Of　that　wild…eyed；　soft…voiced；　two…faced
cow…puncher？　　I　guess　not；　Nell　Rayner。　　What　'd　he　say　about
me？〃

〃Bo；　he　said　a　lot；〃　replied　Helen；　reflectively。　　〃I'll　tell
you　presently。　　First　I　want　to　ask　you　　has　Carmichael
ever　told　you　how　he's　helped　me？〃

〃No！　　When　I　see　him　　which　hasn't　been　often　lately　　he
　I　　Well；　we　fight。　　Nell；　has　he　helped　you？〃

Helen　smiled　in　faint　amusement。　　She　was　going　to　be
sincere；　but　she　meant　to　keep　her　word　to　the　cowboy。　　The
fact　was　that　reflection　had　acquainted　her　with　her
indebtedness　to　Carmichael。

〃Bo；　you've　been　so　wild　to　ride　half…broken　mustangs　　and
carry　on　with　cowboys　　and　read　　and　sew　　and　keep
your　secrets　that　you've　had　no　time　for　your　sister　or　her
troubles。〃

〃Nell！〃　burst　out　Bo；　in　amaze　and　pain。　　She　flew　to　Helen
and　seized　her　hands。　　〃What　're　you　saying？〃

〃It's　all　true；〃　replied　Helen；　thrilling　and　softening。
This　sweet　sister；　once　aroused；　would　be　hard　to　resist。
Helen　imagined　she　should　hold　to　her　tone　of　reproach　and
severity。

〃Sure　it's　true；〃　cried　Bo；　fiercely。　　〃But　what's　my　fooling
got　to　do　with　the　　the　rest　you　said？　　Nell；　are　you
keeping　things　from　me？〃

〃My　dear；　I　never　get　any　encouragement　to　tell　you　my
troubles。〃

〃But　I've　　I've　nursed　uncle　　sat　up　with　him　　just
the　same　as　you；〃　said　Bo；　with　quivering　lips。

〃Yes；　you've　been　good　to　him。〃

〃We've　no　other　troubles；　have　we；　Nell？〃

〃You　haven't；　but　I　have；〃　responded　Helen；　reproachfully。

〃Why　　why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　cried　Bo；　passionately。
〃What　are　they？　　Tell　me　now。　　You　must　think　me　a　　a
selfish；　hateful　cat。〃

〃Bo；　I've　had　much　to　worry　me　　and　the　worst　is　yet　to
come；〃　replied　Helen。　　Then　she　told　Bo　how　complicated　and
bewildering　was　the　management　of　a　big　ranch　　when　the
owner　was　ill；　testy；　defective　in　memory；　and　hard　as　steel
　when　he　had　hoards　of　gold　and　notes；　but　could　not　or
would　not　remember　his　obligations　　when　the　neighbor
ranchers　had　just　claims　　when　cowboys　and　sheep…herders
were　discontented；　and　wrangled　among　themselves　　when
great　herds　of　cattle　and　flocks　of　sheep　had　to　be　fed　in
winter　　when　supplies　had　to　be　continually　freighted
across　a　muddy　desert　and　lastly；　when　an　enemy　rancher　was
slowly　winning　away　the　best　hands　with　the　end　in　view　of
deliberately　taking　over　the　property　when　the　owner　died。
Then　Helen　told　how　she　had　only　that　day　realized　the
extent　of　Carmichael's　advice　and　help　and　labor　　how；
indeed；　he　had　been　a　brother　to　her　　how　

But　at　this　juncture　Bo　buried　her　face　in　Helen's　breast
and　began　to　cry　wildly。

〃I　　I　　don't　want　　to　hear　　any　more；〃　she　sobbed。

〃Well；　you've　got　to　hear　it；〃　replied　Helen；　inexorably　〃I
want　you　to　know　how　he's　stood　by　me。〃

〃But　I　hate　him。〃

〃Bo；　I　suspect　that's　not　true。〃

〃I　do　　I　do。〃

〃Well；　you　act　and　talk　very　strangely　then。〃

〃Nell　Rayner　　are　　you　　you　sticking　up　for　that　
that　devil？〃

〃I　am；　yes；　so　far　as　it　concerns　my　conscience；〃　rejoined
Helen；　earnestly。　　〃I　never　appreciated　him　as　he　deserved　
not　until　now。　　He's　a　man；　Bo；　every　inch　of　him。　　I've　seen
him　grow　up　to　that　in　three　months。　　I'd　never　have　gotten
along　without　him。　　I　think　he's　fine；　manly；　big。　　I　〃

〃I'll　bet　　he's　made　love　　to　you；　too；〃　replied　Bo；
woefully。

〃Talk　sense；〃　said　Helen；　sharply。　　〃He　has　been　a　brother　to
me。　　But；　Bo　Rayner；　if　he　HAD　made　love　to　me　I　　I　might
have　appreciated　it　more　than　you。〃

Bo　raised　her　face；　flushed　in　part　and　also　pale；　with
tear…wet　cheeks　and　the　telltale　blaze　in　the　blue　eyes。

〃I've　been　wild　about　that　fellow。　　But　I　hate　him；　too；〃　she
said；　with　flashing　spirit。　　〃And　I　want　to　go　on　hating　him。
So　don't　tell　me　any　more。〃

Whereupon　Helen　briefly　and　graphically　related　how
Carmichael　had　offered　to　kill　Beasley；　as　the　only　way　to
save　her　property；　and　how；　when　she　refused；　that　he
threatened　he　would　do　it　anyhow。

Bo　fell　over　with　a　gasp　and　clung　to　Helen。

〃Oh　　Nell！　　Oh；　now　I　love　him　more　than　　ever；〃　she
cried；　in　mingled　rage　and　despair。

Helen　clasped　her　closely　and　tried　to　comfort　her　as　in　the
old　days；　not　so　very　far　back；　when　troubles　were　not　so
serious　as　now。

〃Of　course　you　love　him；〃　she　concluded。　　〃I　guessed　that
long　ago。　　And　I'm　glad。　　But　you've　been　wilful　　foolish。
You　wouldn't　surrender　to　it。　　You　wanted　your　fling　with　the
other　boys。　　You're　　Oh；　Bo；　I　fear　you　have　been　a　sad
little　flirt。〃

〃I　　I　wasn't　very　bad　till　　till　he　got　bossy。　　Why；
Nell；　he　acted　　right　off　　just　as　if　he　OWNED　me。　　But
he　didn't。　。　。　。　　And　to　show　him　　I　　I　really　did　flirt
with　that　Turner　fellow。　　Then　he　　he　insulted　me。　。　。　。
Oh；　I　hate　him！〃

〃Nonsense；　Bo。　　You　can't　hate　any　one　while　you　love　him；〃
protested　Helen。

〃Much　you　know　about　that；〃　flashed　Bo。　　〃You　just　can！　　Look
here。　　Did　you　ever　see　a　cowboy　rope　and　throw　and　tie　up　a
mean　horse？〃

〃Yes；　I　have。〃

〃Do　you　have　any　idea　how　strong　a　cowboy　is　　how　his
hands　and　arms　are　like　iron？〃

〃Yes；　I'm　sure　I　know　that；　too。〃

〃And　how　savage　he　is？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　how　he　goes　at　anything　he　wants　to　do？〃

〃I　must　admit　cowboys　are　abrupt；〃　responded　Helen；　with　a
smile。

〃Well；　Miss　Rayner；　did　you　ever　　when　you　were　standing
quiet　like　a　lady　　did　you　ever　have　a　cowboy　dive　at　you
with　a　terrible　lunge　　grab　you　and　hold　you　so　you
couldn't　move　or　breathe　or　scream　　hug　you　till　all　your
bones　cracked　　and　kiss　you　so　fierce　and　so　hard　that　you
wanted　to　kill　him　and　die？

Helen　had　gradually　drawn　back　from　this　blazing…eyed；
eloquent　sister；　and　when　the　end　of　that　remarkable
question　came　it　was　impossible　to　reply。

〃There！　　I　see　you　never　had　that　done　to　you；〃　resumed　Bo；
with　satisfaction。　　〃So　don't　ever　talk　to　me。〃

〃I've　heard　his　side　of　the　story；〃　said　Helen；
constrainedly。

With　a　start　Bo　sat　up　straighter；　as　if　better　to　defend
herself。

〃Oh！　　So　you　have？　　And　I　suppose　you'll　take　his　part　　even
about　that　　that　bearish　trick。〃

〃No。　　I　think　that　rude　and　bold。　　But；　Bo；　I　don't　believe　he
meant　to　be　either　rude　or　bold。　　From　what　he　confessed　to
me　I　gather　that　he　believed　he'd　lose　you　outright　or　win
you　outright　by　that　violence。　　It　seems　girls　can't　play　at
love　out　here　in　this　wild　West。　　He　said　there　would　be
blood　shed　over　you。　　I　begin　to　realize　what　he　meant。　　He's
not　sorry　for　what　he　did。　　Think　how　strange　that　is。　　For　he
has　the　instincts　of　a　gentleman。　　He's　kind；　gentle；
chivalrous。　　Evidently　he　had　tried　every　way　to　win　your
favor　except　any　familiar　advance。　　He　did　that　as　a　last
resort。　　In　my　opinion　his　motives　were　to　force　you　to
accept　or　refuse　him；　and　in　case　you　refused　him　he'd
always　have　those　forbidden　stolen　kisses　to　assuage　his
self…respect　　when　he　thought　of　Turner　or　any　one　else
daring　to　be　familiar　with　you。　　Bo；　I　see　through
Carmichael；　even　if　I　don't　make　him　clear　to　you。　　You've
got　to　be　honest　with　yourself。　　Did　that　act　of　his　win　or
lose　you？　　In　other　words；　do　you　love　him　or　not？〃