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the man of the forest-第38部分

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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; poor
uncle!  They bargain on his death。  But why  tell me why?〃

〃Beasley has worked on them  won them over;〃 replied
Carmichael; grimly。  〃After Al dies the ranch will go to you。
Beasley means to have it。  He an' Al was pards once; an' now
Beasley has most folks here believin' he got the short end
of thet deal。  He'll have papers  shore  an' he'll have
most of the men。  So he'll just put you off an' take
possession。  Thet's all; Miss Nell; an' you can rely on its
bein' true。〃

〃I  I believe you  but I can't believe such  such
robbery possible;〃 gasped Helen。

〃It's simple as two an' two。  Possession is law out here。
Once Beasley gets on the ground it's settled。  What could you
do with no men to fight for your property?〃

〃But; surely; some of the men will stay with me?〃

〃I reckon。  But not enough。〃

〃Then I can hire more。  The Beeman boys。  And Dale would come
to help me。〃

〃Dale would come。  An' he'd help a heap。  I wish he was here;〃
replied Carmichael; soberly。  〃But there's no way to get him。
He's snowed…up till May。〃

〃I dare not confide in uncle;〃 said Helen; with agitation。
〃The shock might kill him。  Then to tell him of the
unfaithfulness of his old men  that would be cruel。 。 。 。
Oh; it can't be so bad as you think。〃

〃I reckon it couldn't be no worse。  An'  Miss Nell; there's
only one way to get out of it  an' thet's the way of the
West。〃

〃How?〃 queried Helen; eagerly。

Carmichael lunged himself erect and stood gazing down at
her。  He seemed completely detached now from that frank;
amiable cowboy of her first impressions。  The redness was
totally gone from his face。  Something strange and cold and
sure looked out of his eyes。

〃I seen Beasley go in the saloon as I rode past。  Suppose I
go down there; pick a quarrel with him  an' kill him?〃

Helen sat bolt…upright with a cold shock。

〃Carmichael!  you're not serious?〃 she exclaimed。

〃Serious?  I shore am。  Thet's the only way; Miss Nell。  An' I

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