aced Helen. "You
really mean that, I know. But nix for yours truly! I'm back alive and
kicking, you bet.... Where's my--where's Tom?"

"Bo, not a word has been heard of him for five days. He's searching for
you, of course."

"And you've been--been put off the ranch?"

"Well, rather," replied Helen, and in a few trembling words she told the
story of her eviction.

Bo uttered a wild word that had more force than elegance, but it became
her passionate resentment of this outrage done her sister.

"Oh!... Does Tom Carmichael know this?" she added, breathlessly.

"How could he?"

"When he finds out, then--Oh, won't there be hell? I'm glad I got here
first.... Nell, my boots haven't been off the whole blessed time. Help
me. And oh, for some soap and hot water and some clean clothes! Nell,
old girl, I wasn't raised right for these Western deals. Too luxurious!"

And then Helen had her ears filled with a rapid-fire account of running
horses and Riggs and outlaws and Beasley called boldly to his teeth, and
a long ride and an outlaw who was a hero--a fight with Riggs--blood and
death--another long ride--a wild camp in black woods--night--lonely,
ghostly sounds--and day again--plot--a great actress lost to the
world--Ophelia--Snakes and Ansons--hoodooed outlaws--mournful moans
and terrible cries--cougar--stampede--fight and shots, more blood and
death--Wilson hero--another Tom Carmichael--fallen in love with outlaw
gun-fighter if--black night and Dale and horse and rides and starved
and, "Oh, Nell, he WAS from Texas!"

Helen gathered that wonderful and dreadful events had hung over
the bright head of this beloved little sister, but the bewilderment
occasioned by Bo's fluent and remarkable utterance left only that last
sentence clear.

Presently Helen got a word in to inform Bo that Mrs. Cass had knocked
twice for supper, and that welcome news checked Bo's flow of speech when
nothing else seemed adequate.

It was obvious to Helen that Roy and Dale had exchanged stories. Roy
celebrated this reunion by sitting at table the first time since he
had been shot; and despite Helen's misfortune and the suspended waiting
balance in the air the occasion was joyous. Old Mrs. Cass was in the
height of her glory. She sensed a romance here, and, true to her sex,
she radiated to it.

Daylight was still lingering when Roy got up and went out on the porch.
His keen ears had heard something. Helen fancied she herself had heard
rapid ho