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Widow Cass appeared on the little porch, a gray, bent, worn, but cheerful old woman whom Helen had colad to see you, Miss Helen," she said "An' you've fetched the little lass as I've not got acquainted with yet"

"Good , Mrs Cass Ho is Roy?" replied Helen, anxiously scanning the wrinkled face

"Roy? Now don't you look so scared Roy's 'it on his hoss an' ride home, if I let hilass for hih him! You can't kill the-room, where on a couch underneath aRoy Beeard He lay partly covered with a blanket His gray shirt was open at the neck, disclosing bandages

"Mornin'--girls," he drawled "Shore is good of you, now, comin' down"

Helen stood beside hireeted him She saw a shade of pain in his eyes and his immobility struck her, but he did not seeitated to speak Carirls

"Wal, what's ailin' you this nice mornin'?" asked Roy, eyes on the cowboy

"Huh! Would you expect oin' to be married?" retorted Carmichael

"Shore you haven't made up with Bo yet," returned Roy

Bo blushed rosy red, and the cowboy's face lost so of its somber hue

"I allow it's none of your d--darn bizness if SHE ain't as, you're a wonder with a hoss an' a rope, an' I reckon with a gun, but when it coolly! Coet out of here, so they can talk"

"Folks, I was jest a-goin' to say thet Roy's got fever an' he oughtn't t' talk too much," said the old woman Then she and Carmichael went into the kitchen and closed the door

Roy looked up at Helen with his keen eyes,than ever

"My brother John was here He'd just left when you come He rode hooin' to ride a bee-line into the mountains"