to Pine she saw Bo's mustang, white
with lather, coming on a dead run.

"Las Vegas, do you see any Apaches?" asked Roy, quizzingly.

The cowboy made no reply, but he strode out from the porch, directly
in front of the mustang. Bo was pulling hard on the bridle, and had him
slowing down, but not controlled. When he reached the house it could
easily be seen that Bo had pulled him to the limit of her strength,
which was not enough to halt him. Carmichael lunged for the bridle and,
seizing it, hauled him to a standstill.

At close sight of Bo Helen uttered a startled cry. Bo was white; her
sombrero was gone and her hair undone; there were blood and dirt on
her face, and her riding-suit was torn and muddy. She had evidently
sustained a fall. Roy gazed at her in admiring consternation, but
Carmichael never looked at her at all. Apparently he was examining the
horse. "Well, help me off--somebody," cried Bo, peremptorily. Her voice
was weak, but not her spirit.

Roy sprang to help her off, and when she was down it developed that she
was lame.

"Oh, Bo! You've had a tumble," exclaimed Helen, anxiously, and she ran
to assist Roy. They led her up the porch and to the door. There she
turned to look at Carmichael, who was still examining the spent mustang.

"Tell him--to come in," she whispered.

"Hey, there, Las Vegas!" called Roy. "Rustle hyar, will you?"

When Bo had been led into the sitting-room and seated in a chair
Carmichael entered. His face was a study, as slowly he walked up to Bo.

"Girl, you--ain't hurt?" he asked, huskily.

"It's no fault of yours that I'm not crippled--or dead or worse,"
retorted Bo. "You said the south range was the only safe ride for me.
And there--I--it happened."

She panted a little and her bosom heaved. One of her gauntlets was gone,
and the bare band, that was bruised and bloody, trembled as she held it
out.

"Dear, tell us--are you badly hurt?" queried Helen, with hurried
gentleness.

"Not much. I've had a spill," replied Bo. "But oh! I'm mad--I'm
boiling!"

She looked as if she might have exaggerated her doubt of injuries, but
certainly she had not overestimated her state of mind. Any blaze Helen
had heretofore seen in those quick eyes was tame compared to this one.
It actually leaped. Bo was more than pretty then. Manifestly Roy was
admiring her looks, but Carmichael saw beyond her charm. And slowly he
was growing pale.

"I rode out the south range--as I was told," began