“Now--now, Miss Helen--what'd Bo mean by pre--presentable bridegroom?... Presents? Lord, I'm clean busted flat!” “She meant you must dress up in your best, of course,” replied Helen. “Where 'n earth will I get a preacher?... Show Down's forty miles.... Can't ride there in time.... Roy, I've gotta have a preacher.... Life or death deal fer me.” “Wal, old man, if you'll brace up I'll marry you to Bo,” said Roy, with his glad grin. “Aw!” gasped Las Vegas, as if at the coming of a sudden beautiful hope. “Tom, I'm a preacher,” replied Roy, now earnestly. “You didn't know thet, but I am. An' I can marry you an' Bo as good as any one, an' tighter 'n most.” Las Vegas reached for his friend as a drowning man might have reached for solid rock. “Roy, can you really marry them--with my Bible--and the service of my church?” asked Helen, a happy hope flushing her face. “Wal, indeed I can. I've married more 'n one couple whose religion wasn't mine.” “B-b-before--d-d-din-ner!” burst out Las Vegas, like a stuttering idiot. “I reckon. Come on, now, an' make yourself pre-senttible,” said Roy. “Miss Helen, you tell Bo thet it's all settled.” He picked up the halter on the blue mustang and turned away toward the corrals. Las Vegas put the bridle of his horse over his arm, and seemed to be following in a trance, with his dazed, rapt face held high. “Bring Dale,” called Helen, softly after them. So it came about as naturally as it was wonderful that Bo rode the blue mustang before the afternoon ended. Las Vegas disobeyed his first orders from Mrs. Tom Carmichael and rode out after her toward the green-rising range. Helen seemed impelled to follow. She did not need to ask Dale the second time. They rode swiftly, but never caught up with Bo and Las Vegas, whose riding resembled their happiness. Dale read Helen's mind, or else his own thoughts were in harmony with hers, for he always seemed to speak what she was thinking. And as they rode homeward he asked her in his quiet way if they could not spare a few days to visit his old camp. “And take Bo--and Tom? Oh, of all things I'd like to'” she replied. “Yes--an' Roy, too,” added Dale, significantly. “Of course,” said Helen, lightly, as if she had not caught his meaning. But she turned her eyes away, while her heart thumped disgracefully and all her body was aglow. “Will Tom and Bo go?” “It was Tom who got me to ask you,” replied Dale. “John an' Hal can look after the men while we're gone.” “Oh--so Tom put it in your head? I guess--maybe--I won't go.” “It is always in my mind, Nell,” he said, with his slow seriousness. “I'm goin' to work all my life for you. But I'll want to an' need to go back to the woods often.... An' if you ever stoop to marry me--an' make me the richest of men--you'll have to marry me up there where I fell in love with you.” “Ah! Did Las Vegas Tom Carmichael say that, too?” inquired Helen, softly. “Nell, do you want to know what Las Vegas said?” “By all means.”