第111章 CHAPTER XXIV(2)

Helen gazed strangely at her bruised wrists, at the one stocking that hung down over her shoe-top, at the rent Iwhich 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. Iwon'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 woods. You can believe thet.

. . . But I reckon he'll run chances after he comes back."This significant speech thrilled Helen with its assurance of hope, and made her blood curdle at the implied peril awaiting the hunter.

On the afternoon of the fifth day Helen was abruptly awakened from her nap. The sun had almost set. She heard voices -- the shrill, cackling notes of old Mrs. Cass, high in excitement, a deep voice that made Helen tingle all over, a girl's laugh, broken but happy. There were footsteps and stamping of hoofs. Dale had brought Bo back! Helen knew it.

She grew very weak, and had to force herself to stand erect.

Her heart began to pound in her very ears. A sweet and perfect joy suddenly flooded her soul. She thanked God her prayers had been answered. Then suddenly alive with sheer mad physical gladness, she rushed out.