wyoming(怀俄明)-第9章
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rybody swing；〃 chanted the caller。
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A dozen rough young fellows were clustered near the front door；
apparently afraid to venture farther lest their escape be cut off。 Through
these McWilliams pushed a way for his charges； the cowboys falling back
respectfully at once when they discovered the presence of Miss Messiter。
In the bedroom where she left her wraps the mistress of the Lazy D
found a dozen or more infants and several of their mothers。 In the kitchen
were still other women and babies； some of the former very old and of the
latter very young。 A few of the babies were asleep； but most of them were
still very much alive to this scene of unwonted hilarity in their young
lives。
As soon as she emerged into the general publicity of the dancing room
her foreman pounced upon Helen and led her to a place in the head set that
was making up。 The floor was rough； the music jerky and uncertain； the
quadrilling an exhibition of joyous and awkward abandon； but its
picturesque lack of convention appealed to the girl from Michigan。 It
rather startled her to be swung so vigorously； but a glance about the room
showed that these humorous…eyed Westerners were merely living up to the
duty of the hour as they understood it。
At the close of the quadrille Helen found herself being introduced to
〃Mr。 Robins；〃 alias Slim； who drew one of his feet back in an embarrassed
bow。
〃I enjoy to meet y'u； ma'am；〃 he assured her； and supplemented this
with a request for the next dance； after which he fell into silence that was
painful in its intensity。
Nearly all the dances were squares； as few of those present understood
the intricacies of the waltz and two…step。 Hence it happened that the
proficient McWilliams secured three round dances with his mistress。
It was during the lunch of sandwiches； cake and coffee that Helen
perceived an addition to the company。 The affair had been advertised a
costume ball； but most of those present had construed this very liberally。
She herself； to be sure； had come as Mary Queen of Scots； Mac was
arrayed in the scarlet tunic and tight…fitting breeches of the Northwest
Mounted Police； and perhaps eight or ten others had made some attempt at
representing some one other than they were。 She now saw another；
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apparently a new arrival； standing in the doorway negligently。 A glance
told her that he was made up for a road agent and that his revolvers and
mask were a part of the necessary costuming。
Slowly his gaze circled the room and came round to her。 His eyes were
hard as diamonds and as flashing； so that the impact of their meeting looks
seemed to shock her physically。 He was a tall man； swarthy of hue； and he
carried himself with a light ease that looked silken strong。 Something in
the bearing was familiar yet not quite familiar either。 It seemed to suggest
a resemblance to somebody she knew。 And in the next thought she knew
that the somebody was Ned Bannister。
The man spoke to Fraser； just then passing with a cup of coffee； and
Helen saw the two men approach。 The stranger was coming to be formally
introduced。
〃Shake hands with Mr。 Holloway； Miss Messiter。 He's from up in the
hill country and he rode to our frolic。 Y'u've got three guesses to figure out
what he's made up as。〃
〃One will be quite enough； I think；〃 she answered coldly。
Fraser departed on his destination with the coffee and the newcomer
sat down on the bench beside her。
〃One's enough； is it？〃 he drawled smilingly。
〃Quite； but I'm surprised so few came in costume。 Why didn't you？
But I suppose you had your reasons。〃
〃Didn't I？ I'm supposed to be a bad man from the hills。〃
She swept him casually with an indifferent glance。 〃And isn't that what
you are in real life？〃
His sharp scrutiny chiseled into her。 〃What's that？〃
〃You won't mind if I forget and call you Mr。 Bannister instead of Mr。
Holloway？〃
She thought his counterfeit astonishment perfect。
〃So I'm Ned Bannister； am I？〃
Their eyes clashed。
〃Aren't you？〃
She felt sure of it； and yet there was a lurking doubt。 For there was in
his manner something indescribably more sinister than she had felt in him
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on that occasion when she had saved his life。 Then a debonair recklessness
had been the outstanding note； but now there was something ribald and
wicked in him。
〃Since y'u put it as a question； common politeness demands an answer。
Ned Bannister is my name。〃
〃You are the terror of this country？〃
〃I shan't be a terror to y'u； ma'am； if I can help it；〃 he smiled。
〃But you are the man they call the king？〃
〃I have that honor。〃
〃HONOR？〃
At the sharp scorn of her accent he laughed。
〃Do you mean that you are proud of your villainy？〃 she demanded。
〃Y'u've ce'tainly got the teacher habit of asking questions；〃 he replied
with a laugh that was a sneer。
A shadow fell across them and a voice said quietly； 〃She didn't wait to
ask any when she saved your life down in the coulee back of the Lazy D。〃
The shadow was Jim McWilliams's； and its owner looked down at the
man beside the girl with steady； hostile eyes。
〃Is this your put in； sir？〃 the other flashed back。
〃Yes； seh； it is。 The boys don't quite like seeing your hardware so
prominent at a social gathering。 In this community guns don't come into
the house at a ranch dance。 I'm a committee to mention the subject and to
collect your thirty…eights if y'u agree with us。〃
〃And if I don't agree with you？〃
〃There's all outdoors ready to receive y'u； seh。 It would be a pity to
stay in the one spot where your welcome's wore thin。〃
〃Still I may choose to stay。〃
〃Ce'tainly； but if y'u decide that way y'u better step out on the porch
and talk it over with us where there ain't ladies present。〃
〃Isn't this a costume dance？ What's the matter with my guns？ I'm an
outlaw； ain't I？〃
〃I don't know whether y'u are or not； seh。 If y'u say y'u are we're ready
to take your word。 The guns have to be shucked if y'u stay here。 They
might go off accidental and scare the ladies。 〃
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The man rose blackly。 〃I'll remember this。 If y'u knew who y'u were
getting so gay with〃
〃I can guess； Mr。 Holloway； the kind of an outfit y'u freight with； and I
expect I could put a handle to another name for you。〃
〃By God； if y'u dare to say〃
〃I don't dare。 especially among so many ladies；〃 came McWilliams's
jaunty answer。
The eyes of the two men gripped； after which Holloway swung on his
heel and swaggered defiantly out of the house。
Presently there came the sound of a pony's feet galloping down the
road。 It had not yet died away when Texas announced that the supper
intermission was over。
〃Pardners for a quadrille。 Ladies' choice。〃
The dance was on again full swing。 The fiddlers were tuning up and
couples gathering for a quadrille。 Denver came to claim Miss Messiter for
a partner。 Apparently even the existence of the vanished Holloway was
forgotten。 But Helen remembered it； and pondered over the affair long
after daylight had come and brought with it an end to the festivities。
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CHAPTER 6。 A PARTY CALL
The mistress of the Lazy D； just through with her morning visit to the
hospital in the bunkhouse； stopped to read the gaudy poster tacked to the
wall。 It was embellished with the drawing of a placid rider astride the
embodiment of fury incarnate； under which was the legend： 〃Stick to Your
Saddle。〃
BIG FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT GIMLET BUTTE。
ROPING AND BRONCO BUSTING CONTESTS FOR THE
CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD AND BIG PRIZES； Including
1；000 for the Best Rider and the Same for Best Roper。 Cow Pony Races；
Ladies' Races and Ladies' Riding Contest； Fireworks； AND FREE
BARBECUE！ ！ ！ ！ EVERYBODY COME AND TURN YOUR WOLF
LOOSE。
A sudden thud of pounding hoofs； a snatch of ragtime； and her
foreman swept up in a cloud of white dust。 His pony came from a gallop to
an instant halt； and simultaneously Mac landed beside her； one hand
holding the wide…brimmed hat he had snatched off in his descent； the other
hitched by a casual thumb to the belt of his chaps。
She laughed。 〃You really did it very well。〃
Mac blushed。 He was still young enough to take pride in his
picturesque regalia； to prefer the dramatic way of doing a commonplace
thing。 But； though he liked this girl's trick of laughing at him with a
perfectly grave face out of those dark； long…lashed eyes； he would have
liked it better if sometimes they had given back the applause he thought
his little tricks merited。
〃Sho！ That's foolishness；〃 he deprecated。
〃I suppose they got you to sit for this picture；〃 and she indicated the
poster with a wave of her hand。
〃That ain't a real picture；〃 he explained； and when she smiled added；
〃as of course y'u know。 No hawss ever pitched that wayand the saddle
ain't right。 Fact is； it's all wrong。〃
〃How did it come here？ It wasn't here last night。〃
〃I reckon Denver brought it from Slauson's。 He was ridin' that country
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yesterday； and as the boys was out of smokin' he come home that way。〃
〃I su
