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！
〃Thank you；〃 he retorted； ironically。
〃I don't understand at all。 I don't see how you can be the man they say
you are。 Before I met you it was easy to understand。 But somehowI don't
knowyou don't LOOK like a villain。〃 She found herself strangely
voicing the deep hope of her heart。 It was surely impossible to look at him
and believe him guilty of the things of which； he was accused。 And yet he
offered no denial； suggested no defense。
Her troubled eyes went over his thin； sunbaked face with its touch； of
bitterness； and she did not find it possible to dismiss the subject without
giving him a chance to set himself right。
〃You can't be as bad as they say。 You are not； are you？〃 she asked；
naively。
〃What do y'u think？〃 he responded； coolly。
She flushed angrily at what she accepted as his insolence。 〃A man of
any decency would have jumped at the chance to explain。〃
〃But if there is nothing to explain？〃
〃You are then guilty。〃
Their eyes met； and neither of them quailed。
〃If I pleaded not guilty would y'u believe me？〃
She hesitated。 〃I don't know。 How could I when it is known by
everybody？ And yet〃
He smiled。 〃Why should I trouble y'u； then； with explanations？ I
reckon we'll let it go at guilty。〃
〃Is that all you can say for yourself？〃
He seemed to hang in doubt an instant； then shook his head and
refused the opening。
22
… Page 23…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃I expect if we changed the subject I could say a good deal for y'u；〃 he
drawled。 〃I never saw anything pluckier than the way y'u flew down from
the mesa and conducted the cutting…out expedition。 Y'u sure drilled
through your punchers like a streak of lightning。〃
〃I didn't know who you were；〃 she explained； proudly。
〃Would it have made any difference if y'u had？〃
Again the angry flush touched her cheeks。 〃Not a bit。 I would have
saved you in order to have you properly hanged later；〃 she cut back
promptly。
He shook his head gayly。 〃I'm ce'tainly going to disappoint y'u some。
Your enterprising punchers may collect me yet； but not alive； I reckon。〃
〃I'll give them strict orders to bring you in alive。〃
〃Did you ever want the moon when y'u was a little kid？〃 he asked。
〃We'll see； Mr。 Outlaw Bannister。〃
He laughed softly； in the quiet； indolent fashion that would have been
pleasant if it had not been at her。 〃It's right kind of you to take so much
interest in me。 I'd most be willing to oblige by letting your boys rope me
to renew this acquaintance； ma'am。〃 Then； 〃I get out here Miss Messiter；
he added。
She stopped on the instant。 Plainly she could not get rid of him too
soon。 〃Haven't you forgot one thing？〃 she asked； ironically。
〃Yes； ma'am。 To thank you proper for what y'u did for me。〃 He limped
gingerly down from the car and stood with his hand on one of the tires。 〃I
have been trying to think how to say it right； but I guess I'll have to give it
up。 All is that if I ever get a chance to even the score〃
She waved his thanks aside impatiently 〃I didn't mean that。 You have
forgotten to take my purse。
His gravity was broken on the instant； and his laughter was certainly
delightfully fresh。 〃I clean forgot； but I expect I'll drop over to the ranch
for it some day。〃
〃We'll try to make to make you welcome； Mr。 Bannister。〃
〃Don't put yourself out at all。 I'll take pot…luck when I come。〃
〃How many of you may we expect？〃 she asked； defiantly。
〃Oh； I allow to come alone。〃
23
… Page 24…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃You'll very likely forget。〃
〃No； ma'am； I don't know so many ladies that I'm liable to such an
oversight。
〃I have heard a different story。 But if you do remember to come； and
will let us know when you expect to honor the Lazy D； I'll have
messengers sent to meet you。〃
He perfectly understood her to mean leaden ones； and the humorous
gleam in his eye sparkled in appreciation of her spirit。 〃I don't want all that
fuss made over me。 I reckon I'll drop in unexpected；〃 he said。
She nodded curtly。 〃Good…bye。 Hope your ankle won't trouble you
very much。〃
〃Thank y'u； ma'am。 I reckon it won't。 Good…bye； Miss Messiter。〃
Out of the tail of her eye she saw him bowing like an Italian opera
singer； as impudently insouciant； as gracefully graceless as any stage
villain in her memory。 Once again she saw him； when her machine swept
round a curve and she could look back without seeming to do so； limping
across through the sage brush toward a little hillock near the road。 And as
she looked the bare； curly head was inclined toward her in another low；
mocking bow。 He was certainly the gallantest vagabond unhanged。
24
… Page 25…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
CHAPTER 4。 AT THE LAZY D
RANCH
Helen Messiter was a young woman very much alive； which implies
that she was given to emotions； and as her machine skimmed over the
ground to the Lazy D she had them to spare。 For from the first this young
man had taken her eye； and it had come upon her with a distinct shock that
he was the notorious scoundrel who was terrorizing the countryside。 She
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