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Suddenly he became fiery and suspicious. "These Chases--did they do all this
on the level?"
"Barefaced robbery! Worse than a Greaser holdup," replied Belding, grimly.
"You say the law upheld them?"
"Sure. Why, Ben Chase has a pull as strong as Diablo's on a down grade.
Dick, we're jobbed, outfigured, beat, tricked, and we can't do a thing."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Belding, most of all for Laddy," said Gale, feelingly. "He's
all in. He'll never ride again. He wanted to settle down here on the farm he
thought he owned, grow grass and raise horses, and take it easy. Oh, but it's
tough! Say, he doesn't know it yet. He was just telling me he'd like to go
out and look the farm over. Who's going to tell him? What's he going to do
when he finds out about this deal?"
"Son, that's made me think some," replied Belding, with keen eyes fast upon
the young man. "And I was kind of wondering how you'd take it."
"I? Well, I'll call on the Chases. Look here, Belding, I'd better do some
forestalling myself. If Laddy gets started now there'll be blood spilled.
He's not just right in his mind yet. He talks in his sleep sometimes about
how Yaqui finished Rojas. If it's left to him--he'll kill these men. But if
I take it up--"
"You're talking sense, Dick. Only here, I'm not so sure of you.
And there's more to tell. Son, you've Nell to think of and your mother."
Belding's ranger gave him a long and searching glance.
"You can be sure of me," he said.
"All right, then; listen," began Belding. With deep voice that had many a
beak and tremor he told Gale how Nell had been hounded by Radford Chase, how
her mother had been driven by Ben Chase--the whole sad story.
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"So that's the trouble! Poor little girl!" murmured Gale, brokenly.
"I felt something was wrong. Nell wasn't natural, like her old self. And
when I begged her to marry me soon, while Dad was here, she couldn't talk.
She could only cry."
"It was hard on Nell," said Belding, simply. "But it 'll be better now you're
back. Dick, I know the girl. She'll refuse to marry you and you'll have a
hard job to break her down, as hard as the one you just rode in off of. I
think I know you, too, or I wouldn't be saying--"
"Belding, what 're you hinting at?" demanded Gale. "Do you dare insinuate
that--that--if the thing were true it'd make any difference to me?"
"Aw, come now, Dick; I couldn't mean that. I'm only awkward at saying things.
And I'm cut pretty deep--"
"For God's dake, you don't believe what Chase said?" queried Gale, in
passionate haste. "It's a lie. I swear it's a lie. I know it's a lie. And
I've got to tell Nell this minute. Come on in with me. I want you, Belding.
Oh, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Belding felt himself dragged by an iron arm into the sitting-room out into the
patio, and across that to where Nell sat in her door. At sight of them she
gave a little cry, drooped for an instant, then raised a pale, still face,
with eyes beginning to darken.
"Dearest, I know now why you are not wearing my mother's ring,"
said Gale, steadily and low-voiced.
"Dick, I am not worthy," she replied, and held out a trembling hand with the
ring lying in the palm.
Swift as light Gale caught her hand and slipped the ring back upon the third
finger.
"Nell! Look at me. It is your engagement ring....Listen. I don't believe
this--this thing that's been torturing you. I know it's a lie. I am
absolutely sure your mother will prove it a lie. She must have suffered
once--perhaps there was a sad error--but the thing you fear is not true. But,
hear me, dearest; even if it was true it wouldn't make the slightest
difference to me. I'd promise
you on my honor I'd never think of it again. I'd love you all the more
because you'd suffered. I want you all the more to be my wife--to let me make
you forget--to--"
She rose swiftyly with the passionate abandon of a woman stirred to her
depths, and she kissed him.
"Oh, Dick, you're good--so good! You'll never know--just what those words
mean to me. They've saved me--I think."
"Then, dearest, it's all right?" Dick questioned, eagerly. "You will keep
your promise? You will marry me?"
The glow, the light faded out of her face, and now the blue eyes were almost
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black. She drooped and shook her head.
"Nell!" exclaimed Gale, sharply catching his breath.
"Don't ask me, Dick. I--I won't marry you."
"Why?"
"You know. It's true that I--"
"It's a lie," interrupted Gale, fiercely. "But even if it's true--why--why
won't you marry me? Between you and me love is the thing. Love, and nothing
else! Don't you love me any more?"
They had forgotten Belding, who stepped back into the shade.
"I love you with my whole heart and soul. I'd die for you,"
whispered Nell, with clenching hands. "But I won't disgrace you."
"Dear, you have worried over this trouble till you're morbid. It has grown
out of all proportion. I tell you that I'll not only be the happiest man on
earth, but the luckiest, if you marry me."
"Dick, you give not one thought to your family. Would they receive me as your
wife?"
"They surely would," replied Gale, steadily.
"No! oh no!"
"You're wrong, Nell. I'm glad you said that. You give me a chance to prove
something. I'll go this minute and tell them all. I'll be back here in less
than--"
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