"Dotty! Me? Dotty!" ejaculated Auchincloss. Then he swore. "In a minit I'll tell you what you are."
"But, Al, that talk's so--so--like an old fool's."
"Huh! An' why so?"
"Because that--wonderful girl would never look at me," Dale replied, simply.
"I seen her lookin' already," declared Al, bluntly.
Dale shook his head as if arguing with the old rancher was hopeless.
"Never mind thet," went on Al. "Mebbe I am a dotty old fool--'specially for takin' a shine to you. But I say again--will you come down to Pine and be my foreman?"
"No," replied Dale.
"Milt, I've no son--an' I'm--afraid of Beasley." This was uttered in an agitated whisper.
"Al, you make me ashamed," said Dale, hoarsely. "I can't come. I've no nerve."
"You've no what?"
"Al, I don't know what's wrong with me. But I'm afraid I'd find out if I came down there."
"A-huh! It's the girl!"
"I don't know, but I'm afraid so. An' I won't come."
"Aw yes, you will--"
Helen rose with beating heart and tingling ears, and moved away out of hearing. She had listened too long to what had not been intended for her ears, yet she could not be sorry. She walked a few rods along the brook, out from under the pines, and, standing in the open edge of the park, she felt the beautiful scene still her agitation. The following moments, then, were the happiest she had spent in Paradise Park, and the profoundest of her whole life.
Presently her uncle called her.
"Nell, this here hunter wants to give you thet black hoss. An' I say you take him."
"Ranger deserves better care than I can give him," said Dale. "He runs free in the woods most of the time. I'd be obliged if she'd have him. An' the hound, Pedro, too."
Bo swept a saucy glance from Dale to her sister.
"Sure she'll have Ranger. Just offer him to ME!"
Dale stood there expectantly, holding a blanket in his hand, ready to saddle the horse. Carmichael walked around Ranger with that appraising eye so keen in cowboys.
"Las Vegas, do you know anything about horses?" asked Bo.
"Me! Wal, if you ever buy or trade a hoss you shore have me there," replied Carmichael.
"What do you think of Ranger?" went on Bo.
"Shore I'd buy him sudden, if I could."