the man of the forest-第48节

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couldn't　sleep　till　I　hear　what　Las　Vegas　did。　　I'd　forgive
anything　except　him　getting　drunk。〃

〃Wal；　I　shore　can　ease　your　mind　on　thet；〃　replied　Roy。　　〃He
never　drank　a　drop。〃

Roy　was　distractingly　slow　about　beginning　the　tale　any
child　could　have　guessed　he　was　eager　to　tell。　　For　once　the
hard；　intent　quietness；　the　soul　of　labor；　pain；　and
endurance　so　plain　in　his　face　was　softened　by　pleasurable
emotion。　　He　poked　at　the　burning　logs　with　the　toe　of　his
boot。　　Helen　observed　that　he　had　changed　his　boots　and　now
wore　no　spurs。　　Then　he　had　gone　to　his　quarters　after
whatever　had　happened　down　in　Pine。

〃Where　IS　he？〃　asked　Bo。

〃Who？　　Riggs？　　Wal；　I　don't　know。　　But　I　reckon　he's　somewhere
out　in　the　woods　nursin'　himself。〃

〃Not　Riggs。　　First　tell　me　where　HE　is。〃

〃Shore；　then；　you　must　mean　Las　Vegas。　　I　just　left　him　down
at　the　cabin。　　He　was　gettin'　ready　for　bed；　early　as　it　is。
All　tired　out　he　was　an'　thet　white　you　wouldn't　have　knowed
him。　　But　he　looked　happy　at　thet；　an'　the　last　words　he
said；　more　to　himself　than　to　me；　I　reckon；　was；　'I'm　some
locoed　gent；　but　if　she　doesn't　call　me　Tom　now　she's　no
good！〃'

Bo　actually　clapped　her　hands；　notwithstanding　that　one　of
them　was　bandaged。

〃Call　him　Tom？　　I　should　smile　I　will；〃　she　declared；　in
delight。　　〃Hurry　now　　what　'd　〃

〃It's　shore　powerful　strange　how　he　hates　thet　handle　Las
Vegas；〃　went　on　Roy；　imperturbably。

〃Roy；　tell　me　what　he　did　　what　TOM　did　　or　I'll
scream；〃　cried　Bo。

〃Miss　Helen；　did　you　ever　see　the　likes　of　thet　girl？〃　asked
Roy；　appealing　to　Helen。

〃No；　Roy；　I　never　did；〃　agreed　Helen。　　〃But　please　　please
tell　us　what　has　happened。〃

Roy　grinned　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　in　a　dark　delight；
almost　fiendish　in　its　sudden　revelation　of　a　gulf　of
strange　emotion　deep　within　him。　　Whatever　had　happened　to
Riggs　had　not　been　too　much　for　Roy　Beeman。　　Helen　remembered
hearing　her　uncle　say　that　a　real　Westerner　hated　nothing　so
hard　as　the　swaggering　desperado；　the　make…believe　gunman
who　pretended　to　sail　under　the　true；　wild；　and　reckoning
colors　of　the　West。

Roy　leaned　his　lithe；　tall　form　against　the　stone
mantelpiece　and　faced　the　girls。

〃When　I　rode　out　after　Las　Vegas　I　seen　him　'way　down　the
road；〃　began　Roy；　rapidly。　　〃An'　I　seen　another　man　ridin'
down　into　Pine　from　the　other　side。　　Thet　was　Riggs；　only　I
didn't　know　it　then。　　Las　Vegas　rode　up　to　the　store；　where
some　fellars　was　hangin'　round；　an'　he　spoke　to　them。　　When　I
come　up　they　was　all　headin'　for　Turner's　saloon。　　I　seen　a
dozen　hosses　hitched　to　the　rails。　　Las　Vegas　rode　on。　　But　I
got　off　at　Turner's　an'　went　in　with　the　bunch。　　Whatever　it
was　Las　Vegas　said　to　them　fellars；　shore　they　didn't　give
him　away。　　Pretty　soon　more　men　strolled　into　Turner's　an'
there　got　to　be　'most　twenty　altogether；　I　reckon。　　Jeff
Mulvey　was　there　with　his　pards。　　They　had　been　drinkin'
sorta　free。　　An'　I　didn't　like　the　way　Mulvey　watched　me。　　So
I　went　out　an'　into　the　store；　but　kept　a…lookin'　for　Las
Vegas。　　He　wasn't　in　sight。　　But　I　seen　Riggs　ridin'　up。　　Now；
Turner's　is　where　Riggs　hangs　out　an'　does　his　braggin'。　　He
looked　powerful　deep　an'　thoughtful；　dismounted　slow　without
seein'　the　unusual　number　of　hosses　there；　an'　then　he
slouches　into　Turner's。　　No　more　'n　a　minute　after　Las　Vegas
rode　down　there　like　a　streak。　　An'　just　as　quick　he　was　off
an'　through　thet　door。〃

Roy　paused　as　if　to　gain　force　or　to　choose　his　words。　　His
tale　now　appeared　all　directed　to　Bo；　who　gazed　at　him；
spellbound；　a　fascinated　listener。

〃Before　I　got　to　Turner's　door　　an'　thet　was　only　a　little
ways　　I　heard　Las　Vegas　yell。　　Did　you　ever　hear　him？　　Wal；
he's　got　the　wildest　yell　of　any　cow…puncher　I　ever　beard。
Quicklike　I　opened　the　door　an'　slipped　in。　　There　was　Riggs
an'　Las　Vegas　alone　in　the　center　of　the　big　saloon；　with
the　crowd　edgin'　to　the　walls　an'　slidin'　back　of　the　bar。
Riggs　was　whiter　'n　a　dead　man。　　I　didn't　hear　an'　I　don't
know　what　Las　Vegas　yelled　at　him。　　But　Riggs　knew　an'　so　did
the　gang。　　All　of　a　sudden　every　man　there　shore　seen　in　Las
Vegas　what　Riggs　had　always　bragged　HE　was。　　Thet　time　comes
to　every　man　like　Riggs。

〃'What　'd　you　call　me？'　he　asked；　his　jaw　shakin'。

〃'I　'ain't　called　you　yet；'　answered　Las　Vegas。　　'I　just
whooped。'

〃'What　d'ye　want？'

〃'You　scared　my　girl。'

〃'The　hell　ye　say！　　Who's　she？'　blustered　Riggs；　an'　he　began
to　take　quick　looks　'round。　　But　he　never　moved　a　hand。　　There
was　somethin'　tight　about　the　way　he　stood。　　Las　Vegas　had
both　arms　half　out；　stretched　as　if　he　meant　to　leap。　　But　he
wasn't。　　I　never　seen　Las　Vegas　do　thet；　but　when　I　seen　him
then　I　understood　it。

〃'You　know。　　An'　you　threatened　her　an'　her　sister。　　Go　for
your　gun；'　called　Las　Vegas；　low　an'　sharp。

〃Thet　put　the　crowd　right　an'　nobody　moved。　　Riggs　turned
green　then。　　I　almost　felt　sorry　for　him。　　He　began　to　shake
so　he'd　dropped　a　gun　if　he　had　pulled　one。

〃'Hyar；　you're　off　　some　mistake　　I　'ain't　seen　no　gurls
　I　'

〃'Shut　up　an'　draw！'　yelled　Las　Vegas。　　His　voice　just
pierced　holes　in　the　roof；　an'　it　might　have　been　a　bullet
from　the　way　Riggs　collapsed。　　Every　man　seen　in　a　second
more　thet　Riggs　wouldn't　an'　couldn't　draw。　　He　was　afraid
for　his　life。　　He　was　not　what　he　had　claimed　to　be。　　I　don't
know　if　he　had　any　friends　there。　　But　in　the　West　good　men
an'　bad　men；　all　alike；　have　no　use　for　Riggs's　kind。　　An'
thet　stony　quiet　broke　with　haw　　haw。　　It　shore　was　as
pitiful　to　see　Riggs　as　it　was　fine　to　see　Las　Vegas。

〃When　he　dropped　his　arms　then　I　knowed　there　would　be　no
gun…play。　　An'　then　Las　Vegas　got　red　in　the　face。　　He　slapped
Riggs　with　one　hand；　then　with　the　other。　　An'　he　began　to
cuss　him。　　I　shore　never　knowed　thet　nice…spoken　Las　Vegas
Carmichael　could　use　such　language。　　It　was　a　stream　of　the
baddest　names　known　out　here；　an'　lots　I　never　heard　of。　　Now
an'　then　I　caught　somethin'　like　low…down　an'　sneak　an'
four…flush　an'　long…haired　skunk；　but　for　the　most　part　they
was　just　the　cussedest　kind　of　names。　　An'　Las　Vegas　spouted
them　till　he　was　black　in　the　face；　an'　foamin'　at　the
mouth；　an'　hoarser　'n　a　bawlin'　cow。

〃When　he　got　out　of　breath　from　cussin'　he　punched　Riggs　all
about　the　saloon；　threw　him　outdoors；　knocked　him　down　an'
kicked　him　till　he　got　kickin'　him　down　the　road　with　the
whole　haw…hawed　gang　behind。　　An'　he　drove　him　out　of　town！〃



CHAPTER　XVIII

For　two　days　Bo　was　confined　to　her　bed；　suffering
considerable　pain；　and　subject　to　fever；　during　which　she
talked　irrationally。　　Some　of　this　talk　afforded　Helen　as
vast　an　amusement　as　she　was　certain　it　would　have　lifted
Tom　Carmichael　to　a　seventh　heaven。

The　third　day；　however；　Bo　was　better；　and；　refusing　to
remain　in　bed；　she　hobbled　to　the　sitting…room；　where　she
divided　her　time　between　staring　out　of　the　window　toward
the　corrals　and　pestering　Helen　with　questions　she　tried　to
make　appear　casual。　　But　Helen　saw　through　her　case　and　was
in　a　state　of　glee。　　What　she　hoped　most　for　was　that
Carmichael　would　suddenly　develop　a　little　less　inclination
for　Bo。　　It　was　that　kind　of　treatment　the　young　lady　needed。
And　now　was　the　great　opportunity。　　Helen　almost　felt　tempted
to　give　the　cowboy　a　hint。

Neither　this　day；　nor　the　next；　however；　did　he　put　in　an
appearance　at　the　house；　though　Helen　saw　him　twice　on　her
rounds。　　He　was　busy；　as　usual；　and　greeted　her　as　if　nothing
particular　had　happened。

Roy　called　twice；　once　in　the　afternoon；　and　again　during
the　evening。　　He　grew　more　likable　upon　longer　acquaintance。
This　last　visit　he　rendered　Bo　speechless　by　teasing　her
about　another　girl　Carmichael　was　going　to　take　to　a　dance。
Bo's　face　showed　that　her　vanity　could　not　believe　this
statement；　but　that　her　intelligence　of　young　men　credited
it　with　being　possible。　　Roy　evidently　was　as　penetrating　as
he　was　kind。　　He　made　a　dry；　casual　little　remark　about　the
snow　never　melting　on　the　mountains　during　the　latter　part
of　March；　and　the　look　with　which　be　accompanied　this　remark
brought　a　blush　to　Helen's　cheek。

After　Roy　had　departed　Bo　said　to　Helen：　〃Confound　that
fellow！　　He　sees　right　through　me。〃

〃My　dear；　you're　rather　transparent　these　days；〃　murmured
Helen。

〃You　needn't　talk。　　He　gave　you　a　dig；〃　retorted　Bo。　　〃He　just
knows　you're　dying　to　see　the　snow　melt。〃

〃Gracious！　　I　hope　I'm　not　so　bad　as　that。　　Of　course　I　want
the　snow　melted　and　spring　to　come；　and　flowers　〃

〃Hal　Ha！　　Ha！〃　taunted　Bo。　　〃Nell　Rayner；　do　you　see　any　green
in　my　eyes？　　Spring　to　come！　　Yes；　the　poet　said　in　the　spring
a　young　man's　fancy　lightly　turns　to　thoughts　of　love。　　But
that　poet　meant　a　young　woman。〃

Helen　gazed　out　of　the　window　at　the　white　stars。

〃Nell；　have　you　seen　him　　since　I　was　hurt？〃　continued　Bo；
with　an　effort。

〃Him？　　Who？〃

〃Oh；　whom　do　you　suppose？　　I　mean　Tom！〃　she　responded；　and
the　last　word　came　with　a　burst。

〃Tom？　　Who's　he？　　Ah；　you　mean　Las　Vegas。　　Yes；　I've　seen　him。〃

〃Well；　did　he　ask　a…about　me？〃

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

〃Humph！　　Nell；　I　don't　always　trust　you。〃　A