第73章 CHAPTER XVI(5)

"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 "Iwant 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.