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"Why didn't you appreciate To furious, but now the allusion, in past tense, to the conquest she had suddenly and aly found dear quite broke her spirit It was a very pale, unsteady, and aze and left the room

Next day Bo was not approachable from any direction Helen found her a victi fros, from them to' wistfulness, and at last to a pride that sustained her

Late in the afternoon, at Helen's leisure hour, when she and Bo were in the sitting-room, horses tra to a loud knock, Helen was surprised to see Beasley And out in the court were several mounted horsemen Helen's heart sank This visit, indeed, had been foreshadowed

"Afternoon, Miss Rayner," said Beasley, doffing his sombrero "I've called on a little business deal Will you see ht rapidly She ht just as well see him and have that inevitable interview done with

"Come in," she said, and when he had entered she closed the door "My sister, Mr Beasley"

"How d' you do, Miss?" said the rancher, in bluff, loud voice

Bo acknowledged the introduction with a frigid little bow

At close range Beasley seemed a forceful personality as well as a rather handsome man of perhaps thirty-five, heavy of build, swarthy of skin, and sloe-black of eye, like that of the Mexicans whose blood was reported to be in him He looked crafty, confident, and self-centered If Helen had never heard of him before that visit she would have distrusted him

"I'd called sooner, but I aitin' for old Jose, the Mexican who herded for me when I was pardner to your uncle," said Beasley, and he sat down to put his huge gloved hands on his knees

"Yes?" queried Helen, interrogatively

"Jose rustled over frodalena, an' now I can back up ht to beor so well stocked when Al Auchincloss beat me out of it I reckon I'll allow for thet I've papers, an' old Jose for witness An' I calculate you'll pay hty thousand dollars, or else I'll take over the ranch"

Beasley spoke in an ordinary, matter-of-fact tone that certainly seemed sincere, and his manner was blunt, but perfectly natural

"Mr Beasley, your claim is no news to me," responded Helen, quietly "I've heard about it And I questioned my uncle He swore on his death-bed that he did not owe you a dollar Indeed, he clai in his papers, so I must repudiate your claim I will not take it seriously"