e him a hint?"

"Not even a hint. You have my word for that. Why? What's happened?"

"He makes me sick."

Bo would not say any more, owing to the near approach of the cowboy.

"Mawnin', Miss Nell," he drawled. "I was just tellin' this here Miss
Bo-Peep Rayner--"

"Don't call me that!" broke in Bo, with fire in her voice.

"Wal, I was just tellin' her thet she wasn't goin' off on any more of
them long rides. Honest now, Miss Nell, it ain't safe, an'--"

"You're not my boss," retorted Bo.

"Indeed, sister, I agree with him. You won't obey me."

"Reckon some one's got to be your boss," drawled Carmichael. "Shore I
ain't hankerin' for the job. You could ride to Kingdom Come or off among
the Apaches--or over here a ways"--at this he grinned knowingly--"or
anywheres, for all I cared. But I'm workin' for Miss Nell, an' she's
boss. An' if she says you're not to take them rides--you won't. Savvy
that, miss?"

It was a treat for Helen to see Bo look at the cowboy.

"Mis-ter Carmichael, may I ask how you are going to prevent me from
riding where I like?"

"Wal, if you're goin' worse locoed this way I'll keep you off'n a hoss
if I have to rope you an' tie you up. By golly, I will!"

His dry humor was gone and manifestly he meant what he said.

"Wal," she drawled it very softly and sweetly, but venomously,
"if--you--ever--touch--me again!"

At this he flushed, then made a quick, passionate gesture with his hand,
expressive of heat and shame.

"You an' me will never get along," he said, with a dignity full of
pathos. "I seen thet a month back when you changed sudden-like to me.
But nothin' I say to you has any reckonin' of mine. I'm talkin' for your
sister. It's for her sake. An' your own.... I never told her an' I never
told you thet I've seen Riggs sneakin' after you twice on them desert
rides. Wal, I tell you now."

The intelligence apparently had not the slightest effect on Bo. But
Helen was astonished and alarmed.

"Riggs! Oh, Bo, I've seen him myself--riding around. He does not mean
well. You must be careful."

"If I ketch him again," went on Carmichael, with his mouth lining hard,
"I'm goin' after him."

He gave her a cool, intent, piercing look, then he dropped his head and
turned away, to stride back toward the corrals.

Helen could make little of the manner in which her sister watched the
cowboy pass out of sight.

"A month back--when I changed sudden-like," mused Bo. "I wonder what he
meant by