wyoming(怀俄明)-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
told herself almost passionately that she would never have believed it if he
had not said so himself。 She knew quite well that the coldness that had
clutched her heart when he gave his name had had nothing to do with fear。
There had been chagrin； disappointment； but nothing in the least like the
terror she might have expected。 The simple truth was that he had seemed
so much a man that it had hurt her to find him also a wild beast。
Deep in her heart she resented the conviction forced upon her。
Reckless he undoubtedly was； at odds with the law surely； but it was hard
to admit that attractive personality to be the mask of fiendish cruelty and
sinister malice。 And yetthe facts spoke for themselves。 He had not even
attempted a denial。 Still there was a mystery about him； else how was it
possible for two so distinct personalities to dwell together in the same
body。
She hated him with all her lusty young will； not only for what he was；
but also for what she had been disappointed in not finding him after her
first instinctive liking。 Yet it was with an odd little thrill that she ran down
again into the coulee where her prosaic life had found its first real
adventure。 He might be all they said； but nothing could wipe out the facts
that she had offered her life to save his； and that he had lent her his body
as a living shield for one exhilarating moment of danger。
As she reached the hill summit beyond the coulee； Helen Messiter was
aware that a rider in ungainly chaps of white wool was rapidly
approaching。 He dipped down into the next depression without seeing her；
and when they came face to face at the top of the rise the result was
instantaneous。 His pony did an animated two…step not on the programme。
25
… Page 26…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
It took one glance at the diabolical machine； and went up on its hind legs；
preliminary to giving an elaborate exhibition of pitching。 The rider
indulged in vivid profanity and plied his quirt vigorously。 But the bronco；
with the fear of this unknown evil on its soul； varied its bucking so
effectively that the puncher astride its hurricane deck was forced； in the
language of his kind； to 〃take the dust。〃
His red head sailed through the air and landed in the white sand at the
girl's feet。 For a moment he sat in the road and gazed with chagrin after
the vanishing heels of his mount。 Then his wrathful eyes came round to
the owner of the machine that had caused the eruption。 His mouth had
opened to give adequate expression to his feelings； when he discovered
anew the forgotten fact that he was dealing with a woman。 His jaw hung
open for an instant in amaze； and when he remembered the unedited
vocabulary he had turned loose on the world a flood of purple swept his
tanned face。
She wanted to laugh； but wisely refrained。 〃I'm very sorry；〃 was what
she said。
He stared in silence as he slowly picked himself from the ground。 His
red hair rose like the quills of a porcupine above a face that had the
appearance of being unfinished。 Neither nose nor mouth nor chin seemed
to be quite definite enough。
She choked down her gayety and offered renewed apologies。
〃I was going for a doc；〃 he explained； by way of opening his share of
the conversation。
〃Then perhaps you had better jump in with me and ride back to the
Lazy D。 I suppose that's where you came from？〃
He scratched his vivid head helplessly。 〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Then jump in。〃
〃I was going to Bear Creek； ma'am；〃 he added dubiously。
〃How far is it？〃
〃'Bout twenty…five miles； and then some。〃
〃You don't expect to walk； do you？〃
〃No； I allowed〃
〃I'll take you back to the ranch； where you can get another horse。〃
26
… Page 27…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃I reckon； ma'am； I'd ruther walk。〃
〃Nonsense！ Why？〃
〃I ain't used to them gas wagons。〃
〃It's quite safe。 There is nothing to be afraid of。〃
Reluctantly he got in beside her； as happy as a calf in a branding pen。
〃Are you the lady that sashaid off with Ned Bannister？〃 he asked
presently； after he had had time to smother successively some of his fear；
wonder and delight at their smooth； swift progress。
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃The boys allow you hadn't oughter have done it。〃 Then； to place the
responsibility properly on shoulders broader than his own； he added：
〃That's what Judd says。〃
〃And who is Judd？〃
〃Judd； he's the foreman of the Lazy D。〃
Below them appeared the corrals and houses of a ranch nestling in a
little valley flanked by hills。
〃This yere's the Lazy D；〃 announced the youth； with pride； and in the
spirit of friendliness suggested a caution。 〃Judd； he's some peppery。 You
wanter smooth him down some； seeing as he's riled up to…day。〃
A flicker of steel came into the blue eyes。 〃Indeed！ Well； here we are。〃
〃If it ain't Reddy； AND the lady with the flying machine；〃 murmured a
freckled youth named McWilliams； emerging from the bunkhouse with a
pan of water which had been used to bathe the wound of one of the
punctured combatants。
〃What's that？〃 snapped a voice from within； and immediately its
owner appeared in the doorway and bored with narrowed black eyes the
young woman in the machine。
〃Who are you？〃 he demanded； brusquely。
〃Your target；〃 she answered； quietly。 〃Would you like to take another
shot at me？〃
The freckled lad broke out into a gurgle of laughter； at which the black；
swarthy man beside him wheeled round in a rage。 〃What you cacklin' at；
Mac？〃 he demanded； in a low voice。
〃Oh； the things I notice；〃 returned that youth jauntily； meeting the
27
… Page 28…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
other's anger without the flicker of an eyelid。
〃It ain't healthy to be so noticin'；〃 insinuated the other。
〃Y'u don't say；〃 came the prompt； sarcastic retort。 〃If you're such a
darned good judge of health； y'u better be attending to some of your
patients。〃 He jerked a casual thumb over his shoulder toward the bunks on
which lay the wounded men。
〃I shouldn't wonder but what there might be another patient for me to
attend to；〃 snarled the foreman。
〃That so？ Well； turn your wolf loose when y'u get to feelin' real
devilish；〃 jeered the undismayed one； strolling forward to assist Miss
Messiter to alight。
The mistress of the Lazy D had been aware of the byplay； but she had
caught neither the words nor their import。 She took the offered brown
hand smilingly； for here again she looked into the frank eyes of the West；
unafraid and steady。 She judged him not more than twenty…two； but the
school where he had learned of life had held open and strenuous session
every day since he could remember。
〃Glad to meet y'u； ma'am；〃 he assured her； in the current phrase of the
semi…arid lands。
〃I'm sure I am glad to meet YOU；〃 she answered； heartily。 〃Can you
tell me where is the foreman of the Lazy D？〃
He introduced with a smile the swarthy man in the doorway。 〃This is
him ma'amMr。 Judd Morgan。〃
Now it happened that Mr。 Judd Morgan was simmering with
suppressed spleen。
〃All I've got to say is that you had no business mixing up in that
shootin' affair back there。 Perhaps you don't know that the man you saved
is Ned Bannister； the outlaw；〃 was his surly greeting。
〃Oh； yes； I know that。〃
〃Then what d'ye meanWho are you； anyway？〃 His insolent eyes
coasted malevolently over her。
〃Helen Messiter is my name。〃
It was ludicrous to see the change that came over the man。 He had
been prepared to bully her； and with a word she had pricked the bubble of
28
… Page 29…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
his arrogance。 He swallowed his anger and got a mechanical smile in
working order。
〃Glad to see you here； Miss Messiter；〃 he said； his sinister gaze
attempting to meet hers frankly 〃I been looking for you every day。〃
〃But y'u managed to surprise him； after all ma'am；〃 chuckled Mac。
〃Where's yo' hawss； Reddy？〃 inquired a tall young man； who had
appeared silently in the doorway of the bunkhouse。
Reddy pinked violently。 〃I had an accident； Denver；〃 he explained。
〃This lady yere she〃
〃Scooped y'u right off yore hawss。 Y'u don't say；〃 sympathized Mac so
breathlessly that even Reddy joined in the chorus of laughter that went up
at his expense。
The young woman thought to make it easy for him； and suggested an
explanation。
〃His horse isn't used to automobiles； and so when it met this one〃
〃I got off；〃 interposed Reddy hastily； displaying a complexion like a
boiled beet。
〃He got off；〃 Mac explained gravely to the increasing audience。
Denver nodded with an imperturbable face。 〃He got off。〃
Mac introduced Miss Messiter to such of her employees as were on
hand。 〃 Shake hands with Miss Messiter； Missou；〃 was the formula； the
name alone varying to suit the embarrassed gentlemen in leathers。 Each of
them in turn presented a huge hand； in which her little one disappeared for
the time； and was sawed up and down in the air like a pump…handle。 Yet if
she was amused she did not show it； and her pleasure at meeting the
simple； elemental products of the plains outweighed a great deal her sense
of the ludicrous。
〃How are your patients getting along？〃 she presently asked of her
foreman。
〃I reckon all right。 I sent Reddy for a doc； but〃
〃He got off；〃 murmured Mac pensively。
〃I'll go rope another hawss；〃 put in the man who had got off。
〃Get a jump on you； then。 Miss Messiter； would yo
