Here she hesitated, perhaps for breath, for she had spoken rapidly, or perhaps to get better hold on her subject. Not improbably the effect she was creating on her listeners began to be significant. Roy sat absorbed, perfectly motionless, eyes keen as steel, his mouth open. Carmichael was gazing over Bo's head, out of the window, and it seemed that he must know the rest of her narrative. Helen knew that her own wide-eyed attention alone would have been all-compelling inspiration to Bo Rayner. “Sure I had it wrong,” resumed Bo. “Pretty soon heard a horse behind. I looked back. I saw a big bay riding down on me. Oh, but he was running! He just tore through the cedars. ... I was scared half out of my senses. But I spurred and beat my mustang. Then began a race! Rough going--thick cedars--washes and gullies I had to make him run--to keep my saddle--to pick my way. Oh-h-h! but it was glorious! To race for fun--that's one thing; to race for your life is another! My heart was in my mouth--choking me. I couldn't have yelled. I was as cold as ice--dizzy sometimes--blind others--then my stomach turned--and I couldn't get my breath. Yet the wild thrills I had!... But I stuck on and held my own for several miles--to the edge of the cedars. There the big horse gained on me. He came pounding closer--perhaps as close as a hundred yards--I could hear him plain enough. Then I had my spill. Oh, my mustang tripped--threw me 'way over his head. I hit light, but slid far--and that's what scraped me so. I know my knee is raw.... When I got to my feet the big horse dashed up, throwing gravel all over me--and his rider jumped off.... Now who do you think he was?” Helen knew, but she did not voice her conviction. Carmichael knew positively, yet he kept silent. Roy was smiling, as if the narrative told did not seem so alarming to him. “Wal, the fact of you bein' here, safe an' sound, sorta makes no difference who thet son-of-a-gun was,” he said. “Riggs! Harve Riggs!” blazed Bo. “The instant I recognized him I got over my scare. And so mad I burned all through like fire. I don't know what I said, but it was wild--and it was a whole lot, you bet. “You sure can ride,' he said. “I demanded why he had dared to chase me, and he said he had an important message for Nell. This was it: 'Tell your sister that Beasley means to put her off an' take the ranch. If she'll marry me I'll block his deal. If she won't marry me, I'll go in with Beasley.' Then he told me to hurry home and not to breathe a word to any one except Nell. Well, here I am--and I seem to have been breathing rather fast.” She looked from Helen to Roy and from Roy to Las Vegas. Her smile was for the latter, and to any one not overexcited by her story that smile would have told volumes. “Wal, I'll be doggoned!” ejaculated Roy, feelingly. Helen laughed. “Indeed, the working of that man's mind is beyond me.... Marry him to save my ranch? I wouldn't marry him to save my life!”