the man of the forest-第60部分

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The　Mormon　boys　and　several　other　of　her　trusted　men　slept
in　their　tarpaulin　beds　on　the　porch　of　the　ranch…house　that
night；　so　that　Helen　at　least　would　not　be　surprised。　　But
the　day　came；　with　its　manifold　duties　undisturbed　by　any
event。　　And　it　passed　slowly　with　the　leaden　feet　of
listening；　watching　vigilance。

Carmichael　did　not　come　back；　nor　was　there　news　of　him　to
be　had。　　The　last　known　of　him　had　been　late　the　afternoon　of
the　preceding　day；　when　a　sheep…herder　had　seen　him　far　out
on　the　north　range；　headed　for　the　hills。　　The　Beemans
reported　that　Roy's　condition　had　improved；　and　also　that
there　was　a　subdued　excitement　of　suspense　down　in　the
village。

This　second　lonely　night　was　almost　unendurable　for　Helen。
When　she　slept　it　was　to　dream　horrible　dreams；　when　she　lay
awake　it　was　to　have　her　heart　leap　to　her　throat　at　a
rustle　of　leaves　near　the　window；　and　to　be　in　torture　of
imagination　as　to　poor　Bo's　plight。　　A　thousand　times　Helen
said　to　herself　that　Beasley　could　have　had　the　ranch　and
welcome；　if　only　Bo　had　been　spared。　　Helen　absolutely
connected　her　enemy　with　her　sister's　disappearance。　　Riggs
might　have　been　a　means　to　it。

Daylight　was　not　attended　by　so　many　fears；　there　were
things　to　do　that　demanded　attention。　　And　thus　it　was　that
the　next　morning；　shortly　before　noon；　she　was　recalled　to
her　perplexities　by　a　shouting　out　at　the　corrals　and　a
galloping　of　horses　somewhere　near。　　From　the　window　she　saw
a　big　smoke。

〃Fire！　　That　must　be　one　of　the　barns　　the　old　one；
farthest　out；〃　she　said；　gazing　out　of　the　window。　　〃Some
careless　Mexican　with　his　everlasting　cigarette！〃

Helen　resisted　an　impulse　to　go　out　and　see　what　had
happened。　　She　had　decided　to　stay　in　the　house。　　But　when
footsteps　sounded　on　the　porch　and　a　rap　on　the　door；　she
unhesitatingly　opened　it。　　Four　Mexicans　stood　close。　　One　of
them；　quick　as　thought；　flashed　a　hand　in　to　grasp　her；　and
in　a　single　motion　pulled　her　across　the　threshold。

〃No　hurt；　Senuora；〃　he　said；　and　pointed　　making　motions
she　must　go。

Helen　did　not　need　to　be　told　what　this　visit　meant。　　Many　as
her　conjectures　had　been；　however；　she　had　not　thought　of
Beasley　subjecting　her　to　this　outrage。　　And　her　blood
boiled。

〃How　dare　you！〃　she　said；　trembling　in　her　effort　to　control
her　temper。　　But　class；　authority；　voice　availed　nothing　with
these　swarthy　Mexicans。　　They　grinned。　　Another　laid　hold　of
Helen　with　dirty；　brown　hand。　　She　shrank　from　the　contact。

〃Let　go！〃　she　burst　out；　furiously。　　And　instinctively　she
began　to　struggle　to　free　herself。　　Then　they　all　took　hold
of　her。　　Helen's　dignity　might　never　have　been！　　A　burning；
choking　rush　of　blood　was　her　first　acquaintance　with　the
terrible　passion　of　anger　that　was　her　inheritance　from　the
Auchinclosses。　　She　who　had　resolved　never　to　lay　herself
open　to　indignity　now　fought　like　a　tigress。　　The　Mexicans；
jabbering　in　their　excitement；　had　all　they　could　do；　until
they　lifted　her　bodily　from　the　porch。　　They　handled　her　as
if　she　had　been　a　half…empty　sack　of　corn。　　One　holding　each
hand　and　foot　they　packed　her；　with　dress　disarranged　and
half　torn　off；　down　the　path　to　the　lane　and　down　the　lane
to　the　road。　　There　they　stood　upright　and　pushed　her　off　her
property。

Through　half…blind　eyes　Helen　saw　them　guarding　the　gateway；
ready　to　prevent　her　entrance。　　She　staggered　down　the　road
to　the　village。　　It　seemed　she　made　her　way　through　a　red
dimness　　that　there　was　a　congestion　in　her　brain　　that
the　distance　to　Mrs。　　Cass's　cottage　was　insurmountable。　　But
she　got　there；　to　stagger　up　the　path；　to　hear　the　old
woman's　cry。　　Dizzy；　faint；　sick；　with　a　blackness　enveloping
all　she　looked　at；　Helen　felt　herself　led　into　the
sitting…room　and　placed　in　the　big　chair。

Presently　sight　and　clearness　of　mind　returned　to　her。　　She
saw　Roy；　white　as　a　sheet；　questioning　her　with　terrible
eyes。　　The　old　woman　hung　murmuring　over　her；　trying　to
comfort　her　as　well　as　fasten　the　disordered　dress。

〃Four　greasers　　packed　me　down　　the　hill　　threw　me　off
my　ranch　　into　the　road！〃　panted　Helen。

She　seemed　to　tell　this　also　to　her　own　consciousness　and　to
realize　the　mighty　wave　of　danger　that　shook　her　whole　body。

〃If　I'd　known　　I　would　have　killed　them！〃

She　exclaimed　that；　full…voiced　and　hard；　with　dry；　hot　eyes
on　her　friends。　　Roy　reached　out　to　take　her　hand；　speaking
huskily。　　Helen　did　not　distinguish　what　he　said。　　The
frightened　old　woman　knelt；　with　unsteady　fingers　fumbling
over　the　rents　in　Helen's　dress。　　The　moment　came　when
Helen's　quivering　began　to　subside；　when　her　blood　quieted
to　let　her　reason　sway；　when　she　began　to　do　battle　with　her
rage；　and　slowly　to　take　fearful　stock　of　this　consuming
peril　that　had　been　a　sleeping　tigress　in　her　veins。

〃Oh；　Miss　Helen；　you　looked　so　turrible；　I　made　sure　you　was
hurted；〃　the　old　woman　was　saying。

Helen　gazed　strangely　at　her　bruised　wrists；　at　the　one
stocking　that　hung　down　over　her　shoe…top；　at　the　rent　I
which　had　bared　her　shoulder　to　the　profane　gaze　of　those
grinning；　beady…eyed　Mexicans。

〃My　body's　　not　hurt；〃　she　whispered。

Roy　had　lost　some　of　his　whiteness；　and　where　his　eyes　had
been　fierce　they　were　now　kind。

〃Wal；　Miss　Nell；　it's　lucky　no　harm's　done。　。　。　。　　Now　if
you'll　only　see　this　whole　deal　clear！　　。　。　。　　Not　let　it
spoil　your　sweet　way　of　lookin'　an'　hopin'！　　If　you　can　only
see　what's　raw　in　this　West　　an'　love　it　jest　the　same！〃

Helen　only　half　divined　his　meaning；　but　that　was　enough　for
a　future　reflection。　　The　West　was　beautiful；　but　hard。　　In
the　faces　of　these　friends　she　began　to　see　the　meaning　of
the　keen；　sloping　lines；　and　shadows　of　pain；　of　a　lean；
naked　truth；　cut　as　from　marble。

〃For　the　land's　sakes；　tell　us　all　about　it；〃　importuned
Mrs。　　Cass。

Whereupon　Helen　shut　her　eyes　and　told　the　brief　narrative
of　her　expulsion　from　her　home。

〃Shore　we…all　expected　thet；〃　said　Roy。　　〃An'　it's　jest　as
well　you're　here　with　a　whole　skin。　　Beasley's　in　possession
now　an'　I　reckon　we'd　all　sooner　hev　you　away　from　thet
ranch。〃

〃But；　Roy；　I　won't　let　Beasley　stay　there；〃　cried　Helen。

〃Miss　Nell；　shore　by　the　time　this　here　Pine　has　growed　big
enough　fer　law　you'll　hev　gray　in　thet　pretty　hair。　　You
can't　put　Beasley　off　with　your　honest　an'　rightful　claim。
Al　Auchincloss　was　a　hard　driver。　　He　made　enemies　an'　he
made　some　he　didn't　kill。　　The　evil　men　do　lives　after　them。
An'　you've　got　to　suffer　fer　Al's　sins；　though　Al　was　as
good　as　any　man　who　ever　prospered　in　these　parts。〃

〃Oh；　what　can　I　do？　　I　won't　give　up。　　I've　been　robbed。　　Can't
the　people　help　me？　　Must　I　meekly　sit　with　my　hands　crossed
while　that　half…breed　thief　　Oh；　it's　unbelievable！〃

〃I　reckon　you'll　jest　hev　to　be　patient　fer　a　few　days；〃
said　Roy；　calmly。　　〃It'll　all　come　right　in　the　end。〃

〃Roy！　　You've　had　this　deal；　as　you　call　it；　all　worked　out
in　mind　for　a　long　time！〃　exclaimed　Helen。

〃Shore；　an'　I　'ain't　missed　a　reckonin'　yet。〃

〃Then　what　will　happen　　in　a　few　days？〃

〃Nell　Rayner；　are　you　goin'　to　hev　some　spunk　an'　not　lose
your　nerve　again　or　go　wild　out　of　your　head？〃

〃I'll　try　to　be　brave；　but　　but　I　must　be　prepared；〃　she
replied；　tremulously。

〃Wal；　there's　Dale　an'　Las　Vegas　an'　me　fer　Beasley　to
reckon　with。　　An'；　Miss　Nell；　his　chances　fer　long　life　are
as　pore　as　his　chances　fer　heaven！〃

〃But；　Roy；　I　don't　believe　in　deliberate　taking　of　life；〃
replied　Helen；　shuddering。　　〃That's　against　my　religion。　　I
won't　allow　it。　。　。　。　　And　　then　　think；　Dale；　all　of　you
　in　danger！〃

〃Girl；　how　're　you　ever　goin'　to　help　yourself　？　　Shore　you
might　hold　Dale　back；　if　you　love　him；　an'　swear　you　won't
give　yourself　to　him。　。　。　。　　An'　I　reckon　I'd　respect　your
religion；　if　you　was　goin'　to　suffer　through　me。　。　。　。　　But
not　Dale　nor　you　　nor　Bo　　nor　love　or　heaven　or　hell　can
ever　stop　thet　cowboy　Las　Vegas！〃

〃Oh；　if　Dale　brings　Bo　back　to　me　　what　will　I　care　for　my
ranch？〃　murmured　Helen。

〃Reckon　you'll　only　begin　to　care　when　thet　happens。　　Your
big　hunter　has　got　to　be　put　to　work；〃　replied　Roy；　with　his
keen　smile。


Before　noon　that　day　the　baggage　Helen　had　packed　at　home
was　left　on　the　porch　of　Widow　Cass's　cottage；　and　Helen's
anxious　need　of　the　hour　was　satisfied。　　She　was　made
comfortable　in　the　old　woman's　one　spare　room；　and　she　set
herself　the　task　of　fortitude　and　endurance。

To　her　surprise；　many　of　Mrs。　　Cass's　neighbors　came
unobtrusively　to　the　back　door　of　the　little　cottage　and
made　sympathetic　inquiries。　　They　appeared　a　subdued　and
apprehensive　group；　and　whispered　to　one　another　as　they
left。　　Helen　gathered　from　their　visits　a　conviction　that　the
wives　of　the　men　dominated　by　Beasley　believed　no　good　could
come　of　this　high…handed　taking　over　of　the　ranch。　　Indeed；
Helen　found　at　the　end　of　the　day　that　a　strength　had　been
borne　of　her　misfortune。

The　next　day　Roy　informed　her　that　his　brother　John　had　come
down　the　preceding　night　with　the　news　of　Beasley's　descent
upon　the　ranch。　　Not　a　shot　had　been　fired；　and　the　only
damage　done　was　that　of　the　burning　of　a　hay…filled　barn。
This　had　been　set　on　fire　to　attract　Helen's　men　to　one
spot；　where　Beasley　had　ridden　down　upon　them　with　three
times　their　number。　　He　had　boldly　ordered　them　off　the　land；
unless　they　wanted　to　acknowledge　him　boss　and　remain　there
in　his　service。　　The　three　Beemans　had　stayed；　having　planned
that　just　in　this　event　they　might　be　valuable　to　Helen's
interests。　　Beasley　had　ridden　down　into　Pine　the　same　as
upon　any　other　day。　　Roy　reported　also　news　which　had　come　in
that　morning；　how　Beasley's　crowd　had　celebrated　late　the
night　before。

The　second　and　third　and　fourth　days　endlessly　wore　away；
and　Helen　believed　they　had　made　her　old。　　At　night　she　lay
awake　most　of　the　time；　thinking　and　praying；　but　during　the
afternoon　she　got　some　sleep。　　She　could　think　of　nothing　and
talk　of　nothing　except　her　sister；　and　Dale's　chances　of
saving　her。

〃Well；　shore　you　pay　Dale　a　pore　compliment；〃　finally
protested　the　patient　Roy。　　〃I　tell　you　　Milt　Dale　can　do
anythin'　he　wants　to　do　in　the