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."How's my girl?" he asked, just as naturally as if he had been gone a fewdays on some errand of his employer's."Bo? Oh, she's well--fine.I--I rather think she'll be glad to see you,"replied Helen, warmly."An' how's thet big Indian, Dale?" he drawled."Well, too--I'm sure.""Reckon I got back heah in time to see you-all married?""I--I assure you I--no one around here has been married yet," replied Helen,with a blush."Thet shore is fine.Was some worried," he said, lazily."I've been chasin'wild hosses over in New Mexico, an' I got after this heah blue roan.He keptme chasin' him fer a spell.I've fetched him back for Bo."Page 226 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHelen looked at the mustang Roy was holding, to be instantly delighted.Hewas a roan almost blue in color, neither large nor heavy, but powerfullybuilt, clean-limbed, and racy, with a long mane and tail, black as coal, and abeautiful head that made Helen love him at once."Well, I'm jealous," declared Helen, archly."I never did see such a pony.""I reckoned you'd never ride any hoss but Ranger," said Las Vegas."No, I never will.But I can be jealous, anyhow, can't I?""Shore.An I reckon if you say you're goin' to have him--wal, Bo'd be funny,"he drawled."I reckon she would be funny," retorted Helen.She was so happy that sheimitated his speech.She wanted to hug him.It was too good to be true--thereturn of this cowboy.He understood her.He had come back with nothing thatcould alienate her.He had apparently forgotten the terrible role he hadaccepted and the doom he had meted out to her enemies.That moment waswonderful for Helen in its revelation of the strange significance of the Westas embodied in this cowboy.He was great.But he did not konw that.Then the door of the living-room opened, and a sweet, high voice pealed out:"Roy! Oh, what a mustang! Whose is he?""Wal, Bo, if all I hear is so he belongs to you," replied Roy with a hugegrin.Bo appeared in the door.She stepped out upon the porch.She saw the cowboy.The excited flash of her pretty face vanished as she paled."Bo, I shore am glad to see you," drawled Las Vegas, as he stepped forward,sombrero in hand.Helen could not see any sign of confusion in him.But,indeed, she saw gladness.Then she expected to behold Bo run right into thecowboys's arms.It appeared, however, that she was doomed to disappointment."Tom, I'm glad to see you," she replied.They shook hands as old friends."You're lookin' right fine," he said."Oh, I'm well.And how have you been these six months?" she queried."Reckon I though it was longer," he drawled."Wal, I'm pretty tip-top now,but I was laid up with heart trouble for a spell.""Heart trouble?" she echoed, dubiously."Shore.I ate too much over heah in New Mexico.""It's no news to me--where your heart's located," laughed Bo.Then she ranoff the porch to see the blue mustang.She walked round and round him,clasping her hands in sheer delight."Bo, he's a plumb dandy," said Roy."Never seen a prettier hoss.He'll runlike a streak.An' he's got good eyes.He'll be a pet some day.But I reckonhe'll always be spunky."Page 227 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Bo ventured to step closer, and at last got a hand on the mustang, and thenanother.She smoothed his quivering neck and called softly to him, until hesubmitted to her hold."What's his name?" she asked."Blue somethin' or other," replied Roy."Tom, has my new mustang a name?" asked Bo, turning to the cowboy."Shore.""What then?""Wal, I named him Blue-Bo," answered Las Vegas, with a smile."Blue-Boy?""Nope.He's named after you.An' I chased him, roped him, broke him allmyself.""Very well.Blue-Bo he is, then.And he's a wonderful darling horse.Oh,Nell, just look at him.Tom, I can't thank you enough.""Reckon I don't want any thanks," drawled the cowboy."But see heah, Bo, youshore got to live up to conditions before you ride him.""What!" exclaimed Bo, who was startled by his slow, cool, meaning tone, ofvoice.Helen delighted in looking at Las Vegas then.He had never appeared to betteradvantage.So cool, careless, and assured! He seemed master of a situation inwhich his terms must be accepted.Yet he might have been actuated by a cowboymotive beyond the power of Helen to divine."Bo Rayner," drawled Las Vegas, "thet blue mustang will be yours, an' you canride him--when you'reMrs
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