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！
ignoring his diversion。
〃The Lazy D is the nearest； I reckon。〃
〃Which direction？〃
〃North by east； ma'am。〃
〃Then I'll take the most direct road to it。
〃In that case I'll thank y'u for my ride and get out here。〃
〃Butwhy？〃
He waved a jaunty hand toward the recent battlefield。 〃The Lazy D
lies right back of that hill。 I expect； mebbe； those wolves might howl again
if we went back。〃
〃Where； then； shall I take you？〃
〃I hate to trouble y'u to go out of your way。
〃I dare say； but I'm going just the same；〃 she told him； dryly。
〃If you're right determined 〃 He interrupted himself to point to the
south。 〃Do y'u see that camel…back peak over there？〃
〃The one with the sunshine on its lower edge？〃
〃That's it； Miss Messiter。 They call those two humps the Antelope
Peaks。 If y'u can drop me somewhere near there I think I'll manage all
right。〃
〃I'm not going to leave you till we reach a house；〃 she informed him
promptly。 〃You're not fit to walk fifty yards。〃
〃That's right kind of y'u； but I could not think of asking so much。 My
friends will find me if y'u leave me where I can work a heliograph。〃
〃Or your enemies；〃 she cut in。
〃I hope not。 I'd not likely have the luck to get another invitation right
then to go riding with a friendly young lady。〃
She gave him direct； cool； black…blue eyes that met and searched his。
〃I'm not at all sure she is friendly。 I shall want to find out the cause of the
trouble you have just had before I make up my mind as to that。〃
〃I judge people by their actions。 Y'u didn't wait to find out before
bringing the ambulance into action；〃 he laughed。
〃I see you do not mean to tell me。〃
〃You're quite a lawyer； ma'am；〃 he evaded。
9
… Page 10…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃I find you a very slippery witness； then。〃
〃Ask anything y'u like and I'll tell you。〃
〃Very well。 Who were those men； and why were they trying to kill
you？〃
〃They turned their wolf loose on me because I shot up one of them
yesterday。〃
〃Dear me！ Is it your business to go around shooting people？ That's
three I happen to know that you have shot。 How many more？〃
〃No more； ma'amnot recently。〃
〃Well； three is quite enoughrecently；〃 she mimicked。 〃You seem to
me a good deal of a desperado。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Don't say 'Yes； ma'am；' like that； as if it didn't matter in the least
whether you are or not；〃 she ordered。
〃No； ma'am。〃
〃Oh！〃 She broke off with a gesture of impatience at his burlesque of
obedience。 〃You know what I meanthat you ought to deny it； ought to be
furious at me for suggesting it。〃
〃Ought I？〃
〃Of course you ought。〃
〃There's a heap of ways I ain't up to specifications；〃 he admitted；
cheerfully。
〃And who are theythe men that were attacking you？〃
There was a gleam of irrepressible humor in the bold eyes。 〃Your cow…
punchers； ma'am。〃
〃My cow…punchers？〃
〃They ce'tainly belong to the Lazy D outfit。〃
〃And you say that you shot one of my men yesterday？〃 He could see
her getting ready for a declaration of war。
〃Down by Willow Creek Yes； ma'am；〃 he answered； comfortably。
〃And why； may I ask？〃 she flamed
〃That's a long story； Miss Messiter。 It wouldn't be square for me to get
my version in before your boys。 Y'u ask them。〃 He permitted himself a
genial smile； somewhat ironic。 〃I shouldn't wonder but what they'll give
10
… Page 11…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
me a giltedged testimonial as an unhanged horse thief。〃
〃Isn't there such a thing as law in Wyoming？〃 the girl demanded。
〃Lots of it。 Y'u can buy just as good law right here as in Kalamazoo。〃
〃I wish I knew where to find it。〃
〃Like to put me in the calaboose？〃
〃In the penitentiary。 Yes； sir！〃 A moment later the question that was in
her thoughts leaped hotly from her lips。 〃Who are you； sir； that dare to
commit murder and boast of it？〃
She had flicked him on the raw at last。 Something that was near to pain
rested for a second in his eyes。 〃Murder is a hard name； ma'am。 And I
didn't say he was daid； or any of the three；〃 came his gentle answer。
〃You MEANT to kill them； anyhow。〃
〃Did I？〃 There was the ghost of a sad smile about his eyes。
〃The way you act； a person might think you one of Ned Bannister's
men；〃 she told him； scornfully。
〃I expect you're right。〃
She repented her a little at a charge so unjust。 〃If you are not ashamed
of your name why are you so loath to part with it？〃
〃Y'u didn't ask me my name；〃 he said； a dark flush sweeping his face。
〃I ask it now。〃
Like the light from a snuffed candle the boyish recklessness had gone
out of his face。 His jaws were set like a vise and he looked hard as
hammered steel。
〃My name is Bannister；〃 he said； coldly。
〃Ned Bannister； the outlaw；〃 she let slip； and was aware of a strange
sinking of the heart。
It seemed to her that something sinister came to the surface in his
handsome face。 〃I reckon we might as well let it go at that；〃 he returned；
with bitter briefness。
11
… Page 12…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
CHAPTER 2。 THE KING OF THE
BIG HORN COUNTRY
Two months before this time Helen Messiter had been serenely
teaching a second grade at Kalamazoo； Michigan； notwithstanding the
earnest efforts of several youths of that city to induce her to retire to
domesticity 〃What's the use of being a schoolmarm？〃 had been the burden
of their plaint。 〃Any spinster can teach kids C…A…T； Cat； but only one in
several thousand can be the prettiest bride in Kalamazoo。〃 None of them；
however； had been able to drive the point sufficiently home； and it is
probable that she would have continued to devote herself to Young
America if an uncle she had never seen had not died without a will and left
her a ranch in Wyoming yclept the Lazy D。
When her lawyer proposed to put the ranch on the market Miss Helen
had a word to say。
〃I think not。 I'll go out and see it first； anyhow；〃 she said。
〃But really； my dear young lady； it isn't at all necessary。 Fact is； I've
already had an offer of a hundred thousand dollars for it。 Now； I should
judge that a fair price 〃
〃Very likely；〃 his client interrupted； quietly。 〃But； you see； I don't care
to sell。〃
〃Then what in the world are you going to do with it？〃
〃Run it。〃
〃But； my dear Miss Messiter； it isn't an automobile or any other kind
of toy。 You must remember that it takes a business head and a great deal of
experience to make such an investment pay。 I really think〃
〃My school ends on the fourteenth of June。 I'll get a substitute for the
last two months。 I shall start for Wyoming on the eighteenth of April。〃
The man of law gasped； explained the difficulties again carefully as to
a child； found that he was wasting his breath； and wisely gave it up。
Miss Messiter had started on the eighteenth of April； as she had
announced。 When she reached Gimlet Butte； the nearest railroad point to
the Lazy D； she found a group of curious； weatherbeaten individuals
12
… Page 13…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
gathered round a machine foreign to their experience。 It was on a flat car；
and the general opinion ran the gamut from a newfangled sewing machine
to a thresher。 Into this guessing contest came its owner with so brisk and
businesslike an energy that inside of two hours she was testing it up and
down the wide street of Gimlet Butte； to the wonder and delight of an
audience to which each one of the eleven saloons of the city had
contributed its admiring quota。
Meanwhile the young woman attended strictly to business。 She had
disappeared for half an hour with a suit case into the Elk Ho