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Show MBS. BOYD HO!' AVO BED AN THE RANCH AT THE WOLVERINE OPERATION s A tale of the wild outdoor life of pioneer days that called forth all the courage and resourcefulness of men and women inured to danger and hardship (Oeyyricfci, Little, Brow CHAPTER XII. " his statement I guess rnebby them rustlers git em. Well, Im going np to the Cove. I may not be back before dark, so dont worry If I'm late. Maybe Ill look along the river. I know one place where I believe cattle can get down to the bottom, if theyre cruzy enough to try It You didnt look there, did you?" "No, I never looked down there. I know they cant git down nohow." "Well, all right; maybe they cant Billy Louise slackened the reins, and Blue went off with short, jumps. It had been a long time since he had felt the weight of his lady, and his mood now was exuberant . Blue threw up his head, lifted his heels, and ran like a scared Jackrab-bi- t over the uneven ground. They were not keeping to the trail at all; trulls were too tame for them In that mood. They ran along the at the last, where Billy Louise could glance down, now and then, at the river sliding like a bright blue ribbon d with Icy edges through the gray, hills. Hold on, Blue!" Billy Louise Quit It, you pulled up on the reins. old devil I A mile ought to be enough for once, I should think. Theres cattle down there In that bottom, sure as you Continued. 9 brain. message Into her range-traineShe stared and stared. Blue looked around at her Inquiringly, reproachfully. Billy Louise sent him slowly forward and stirred up the hoddled little bunch. She read the brand on each one; read the story they shouted at her, of bungling theft. Finally she swung Blue on the downstream side and shouted the range cattle cry. The animals turned awkwardly and went upstream, as they had been going before Billy Louise stopped them. Blue followed watchfully after, content with the game he was playing. Where the bluffs drew close again to the river, the cattle climbed to a narrow, shelving trail picking their way carefully along the bluff. Below them It fell sheer to the river; above them it rose steeply, a blackened jumble, save where the snow of the last storm lay drifted. Billy Louise had never known there was a trail up this gorge. She eyed It critically and saw where boulders had been moved here and there to make its passage possible. Her lips were set close together and they still bore the Imprint of her contempt. She thought of Ward. Mentally she abased herself before him because of her doubts. IIow she had dared think him a thief? Her brave buckaroo! And she had dared think he would steal cattle! Her very remorse was a whip to lash her anger against the guilty. She hurried the cattle along the dangerous trail, Impatient of their cautious pace. Since she had closed up on the cattle and had read on their sides the shameful story of theft, Billy Louise had known that she would eventually come out at the lower end of the Cove ; and that In spite of the fact that the Cove was not supposed to have any egress save through the gorge. What surprised her was the short distance; she had not realized that the bluff and the upland formed a wide curve, and that she had cut the distance almost In half by riding next the river. She seemed In no doubt as to what she would do when she arrived. Billy Louise was not much given to Indecision at any time. She drove the cattle Into the corral farthest from the house, rode on to the stable, and stopped Blue with his nose against the fence there and with his reins dragstill, she ging. Then, tight-lippewalked determinedly along the path to the gate that led through the berry-jungto the cabin. She opened the gate and stepped through, closing It after her. She bad not gone twenty feet when there was a rush from the nearest thicket, and Surbns, his hair ruffed out along his neck, growled and made a leap at her with bared fangs. Billy Louise had forgotten about Surbus. She jumped back, startled, and the dog missed landing. When he sprang again he met a bullet from Billy Louises gun and dropped back. It had been a snap shot, without any particular aiming; Billy Louise retreated a few steps farther, He watching the dog suspiciously. gathered himself slowly and prepared to spring at her again. This time Billy Louise, being 8n the watch for such a move, aimed carefully before she fired. Surbus dropped again, limply a good dog forever more. Billy Louise heard a shrill whistle and the sound of feet running. She waited, gun in hand, ready for whatever rotght come. "Hey! Charlie! Somebody's come; the bell, she dont reeng." Peter Howling Dog, a pistol in his hnnd, came running down the path from the cabin. He saw Billy Louise and stopped abruptly, his mouth half open. From a shed near the stable came Billy Louise Charlie, also running. waited beside the gate. He did not d see her until he was close, for a gooseberry bush stood between them. What was it, Peter? Somebody In the Cove? Or was it you No, It wasnt Peter; It was me, Billy Louise Informed him calmly and I shot Surbus, ungrammatically. that's all. Oh ! Why, Miss Louise, you nearly gave me heart failure 1 IIow are you? I thought You thought somebody had gotten Into the Cove without your knowing It. Well, somebody did. I rode up from below, along the river. "Oh er did you? Pretty rough going, wasn't It? I didnt think It could be done. Come in; Aunt Martha will Billy Louises faith had compromised definitely with her douLts of him. Guilty or lnuoeent, she would be his friend always. That was the condition her fuith had laid down cha lien gin gly before her doubts. But unless he were innocent and proved it to her she would never marry him, no matter how much she loved him. That was the concession her faith had made to her doubts. Billy Louise had a wise little brain for all she idealized life snd her surroundings out of all proportion to reality. She told herself that if she married Ward with her doubts alive her misery would be far greater than If she gave him up, except as a friend. Of course her Ideals stepped In there with an impracticable compromise. She brought back the Ward Warren of her "pretend life. She dreamed of him as a mutely adoring friend who stood and worshiped her from afar and because of his sins could not cross the line of friendship. If he were a rustler she would shield him and save him, if that were possible. He would love her always Billy Louise could not conceive of Ward transferring his affections to another less exacting woman and he would be grateful for her friendship. She could build long, lovely scenes where friendliuess was put to the front bravely, while lore hid behind the mask arid only peeped out through the eyes now and then. She did not, of course, plan all tills in sober reason; she just dreamed it with her eyes open. Some one came upon the doorstep and stood there for a moment, stamping snow off his feet. . Billy Louise caught her breath and waited, her eyes veiled with her lashes aud shining expectantly. A little color came Into her cheeks. Ward had been delayed somehow, but be was coming now because Bbe needed hlru and he wanted her It was only John Pringle, heavy bodied, heavy minded, who came In mid squeaked the door shut behind him. Billy Louise gave him a glance ami dropped her head back on the red cushion, nello, John! she greeted tonelessly. John grinned, embarrassed between his pleasure at seeing Billy Louise snd his pily for her trouble. His white teeth showed a little under his scraggy, breath-frostemustache, f ''Hello! You got back, hey 7 Shes purty cold again. Seems like its goln' storm some more." lie pulled off his mittens aud tugged at the lee dangling at the comers of his lips. You come Billy Louise Held Blue Firmly to on stage, hey 7 I bet you freeze." He Curved Neck. went over and stood with his back to the fire, his leathery brown hands live. And we, my dear sir, are going clasped behind him, his face still un- down there and take a look at them. decided as to the most suitable emotion She managed to pnll Blue down to to reveal. "Well, how you like town, jumps and then to a walk. hey? No good, I guess. You got plen- Finally she stopped him, so that she s ty trouble now. Phoebe and me, we could the better take In her eurronnd-Ingand the possibilities of getting stick by you long as you want tu to. I know you will, John." Billy down. Blue had caught sight of the moving Louise bit her Ups agalust a sudden far down next the river and up not was specks tears. to It Ward, Impulse hut the crude sympathy of this old the streame half a mile or more. He to the bone. He knew halfbreed was more to her than all was a far-of- f for cattle, and he those specks had been flowers that the expensive knew that his lady would like a closer stacked upon mommles coffin. look at them. She picked up the two letters she Blue chose his trail aud crumpled bad written Ward, brushed off the duat at the knees with his hoofs on the very cerIt them and eyed hesitatingly. of the ledge; went down with a edge tainly was queer that Ward had not and lauded with all four feet ridden down for some word from her. He had no close together. planted letthin the threw She hesitated, then himter into the fire. Its message was no mind to go on sliding In spite of was bluff and the self, certainly steep need. of urgeut, Billy poignant longer Louise drew a long breath when the enough to excuse a bungle. It was with a distinct air of triumph grief laden lines crumbled quickly and went flying up the wide throat of the that Blue reached the bottom, even chimney. The other letter she pinched though he slid the last forty feet on In between her thumbs and fingers She Ids haunches and landed belly-deesmiled a little to herself. Ward wou.u a soft snowbank. It was with triumph like to get that. Fhe htul a swift vision to mutch Ids perky ears that Billy Louof him standing over there by the win- ise leaned and slapped him on the We mude It!" she cried, and dow and reading it with those swift, neck. shuttling glances. She remembered I didn't have to walk a step, did I, Blue? Youre there with the goods, how she had begun It Brave Bucka-roand her cheeks turned pink. He all right t" Blue scrambled out of the bank to should have it when he came. Something had kept him away. lie would firm footing on the ripened grass of come Just as soon as he could. She the bottom, and with a tos3 of his head laid the letter back upon the mantel set off In a swinging lope, swerving and set a china cow on it to keep It now and then to avoid a badger hole rock. They had done safe there. Then she turned brightly or a and began to set the table for Phoebe something new, those two; they had and Jolm and herself and came near reached a place where neither hud ever setting a fourth place for Ward, sbe been before, and Blue acted as If lie was so Bure lie would come as soon as knew It and gloried In tho escapade he could. Morutuie used to say that quite as much as did his livly. If you set a place for a person that The cattle spied them and went trotperson would come aud eat with you ting away up the river, and Blue quickIn spirit If not in reality. ened his stride a little and followed Phoebe glanced at her pityingly when after. Billy Louise left the reins upon she saw her hesitating with the fourth Ids neck. Blue could handle cattle plate In her hauds. Phoebe thought alone quite ns skillfully as with a that Billy Louise had unconsciously rider. If he chose. Ihoehe did The cattle began to swerve away brought It fur ruonimle. not know that love Is stronger even j from them, closer to the river. Blue than grief, for at that moment Billy pulled ahead a little, swerving also, Louise was not thinking of momrnle and as Billy Louise tightened the at all. reins, he slowed and circled them craftily until they huddled on the steep CHAPTER XIII. bank, uncertain which way to go. Billy Louise pulled Blue down to a walk ns she drew near and eyed the cattle Seven Lean Kine. NT you looked good, sharply. They did not look like any of hers, after all. There were five dry above here?" Billy X X held Blue firmly In a curved-icc- cows and two steers. One of the steers stood broadside circling stand, while she had a ast word with John before she went to Billy Louise. The brand stared out from his dingy red side, the most con ff on one of her long rides. AH up in the hills, and round over splcuous thing about him. Billy Louwas no jy Cedar creek, and all over." John's ise caught her breath. There was even more sweeping than faintest line that failed to drive Us stiff-legge- d rlm-roc- k snow-spotte- d stiff-legge- d cow-hors- , cut-jum- p p o half-sunke- ; rr jsture Bj 4 Co.) d d le "I know. You did au awful punk Job. A person could tell in the dark it was the work of a greenhorn. Why didn't you let Peter do It, or Marthy? You could have done a better Job than that, couldnt you, Marthy? Poor old Marthy, with her rheumatic knees and a gray hardness In her leathery face, had come down the path and stood Bquarely before Billy Louise, her haDds knuckling her flabby hips, her hair blowing In gray, straggling wisps about her bullet head. Better than what? Come in, Billy Louise. Im right glad to see ye back and lookin so well, even If yuh do pear to be in one of your tantrums. Hows yer maw?" Billy Louise gasped and went white. "Mommles dead, sbe said. She died the ninth. She drew another gasping breath, pulled herself together, and went on before the others could begin the set speeches of sympathy which the announcement seemed to demand. Never mind about that, now. Im talking about those Seabeck cattle you folks stole. I was telling Charlie how horribly careless he Is, Marthy. Did you know he let them drift down the river? And a blind man could tell a mile off the brands have been worked I Billy Louise's tone was positively venomous In Its contempt Why didn't you make Charlie practice on a cowhide for a while first?" she asked Marthy cuttingly. PerMarthy Ignored the sarcasm. haps It did not penetrate her stolid mind at all. Charlie never worked any brands, Billy Louise, she stated with her glum directness. Oh, I beg his pardon, Tm sure! Did you?" No, I never done ench a thing, neither. I dont know what youre talkin . about. Well, who did, theD?" Billy Louise faced the old woman pitilessly. I dno. Marthy lifted her hand and made a futile effort to tuck in a few of the longest wisps of hair. The stem gray Well, of all the eyes of Billy Louise flew wide open at the effrontery of the words. If they expected her to believe that I That's It, Miss Louise. Thats the point wed like to settle, ourselves. I know It sounds outrageous, but Its a fact Peter and I found those cattle up in the hills, with our brand worked over the V. On my word of honor, not one of us knows who did it But youve got them down here Charlie threw out a hand "Well helplessly. His eyes met hers with apWe couldnt rub pealing frankness. out the brands; what else could we do? I figured that somebody else would see them If we left them out in the hills, and it might be rather hard to convince a man; you see, we cant even convince yonl But so help me, not one of us branded those cattle, Miss Lonlse. I believe that whoever has been rustling stock around here tried to fix evidence deliberately against ns. Im a stranger in the country, and I don't know the game very well ; Im an easy mark. Yes, youre that, all right enough! Billy Louise spoke with blunt disfavor, but her contemptuous certainty of his To go guilt was plainly wavering. and bring stolen cattle right down here " It seemed to me theyd be safer here than anywhere else, Charlie observed Nobody ever comes down naively. here, unknown to us. I had it sized up that the fellow who worked those tun-gle- be"I don't think shell be overjoyed to see me. Billy Louise stood still beside the gooseberry bush, and she had forgotten to put away her gun. drove up those cattle you had down below. Youre awfully careless, Charlie! I should think Teter or Marthy would have told you better. When a man steals cattle by working over the brands. It's very bad form to keep them right on his ranch In plain sight It Isnt dene by the best people, you know. Her voice stung with the con tempt she managed to put Into It. And though she smiled. It was such a smile as ooe seldom saw upon the face of Billy Louise. Whats all this? .Worked brands! Why, Miss Louise, I I wouldnt know how to" I suffered from a Canton, Ohio. female trouble which caused me much suffering, and two doctors decided that I would have B. M. BOWER hesitation was not by any meaus a mental habit with Billy Louise. I mean Just what I said." Charlie's manner was becoming more natural, more confident Tve been riding through the hills a good deal, and I've seen a few things. And Ive an Idea the fellow got a little uneasy. He saw her wince a little at the word "fellow, and he went on, with an Impulsive burst of confidence: "Miss Louise, have you ever, in yonr riding around up above Jones canyon. In all those deep little gulches, have you ever seen anything of a corral, up there?" Billy Louise held herself rigidly from starting at this. She bit her lips so that It hurt Whereabouts is it? she asked, without looking at him. And then ; 1 thought you would go to any length before you would accuse anybody. I would. But when they deliberate' ly try to hand me the blame and Im not accusing anybody anybody in particular, am I? The corral Is at the head of a steep little canyon or gulch, back In the hills where all these bigger canyons head. Some time when youre riding up that way, you keep an eye out for it That, be added grimly, Is where Peter and I ran across these cattle; right near that corral. The heart of Billy Louise went heavy In her chest. Was It possible? Doubts are harder to kill than cats or snakes. You think theyre done for, and here they come again, crowding close so that one can see nothing else. Have you any idea at all, who It is? She forced the words out of her dry throat. She lifted her head defiantly and looked at him full, trying to read the truth from his eyes and his mouth. Charlie Fox met her look, and In his eyes she read pity yes, pity for her., If I have," he said, with an air of gently deliberate evasion, Til wait till I am dead before I name tlw man. Pm not at all sure Id do it even ften, Miss Louise; not unless I was forced to do It In Thats one reason why I brought the cattle down here. I didnt want to be placed In a position where I should be compelled to light back. Baffled and angry and hurt to the very soul of her, Billy Louise opened the gate and went out, If you know anything to tell, for heavens sake dont hold back on my account I Its nothing to me, one way or the other. Im no rustler, and no friend of rustlers, If She thats what youre hinting at. left them with a proud lift to her chin and a very straight back, went to Blue, and mounted him mechanically.' Billy Louise was seeing red Just then. She rode back past the gate, the three were still standing there close together, talking. Billy Louise had ridden but a short distance when, with a sudden Impulse born of her stern Instincts of justice, 6he jerked Blue around and galloped back. Charlie had disappeared, and Peter Howling Dog was 'walking sullenly toward the corraled cattle. Marthy was going slowly up the path to the cabin, looking old and bent and broken-spirite- d because of her bowed shoulders and stiff, rheumatic gait, but harsh and unyielding as to her face. Billy Louise stopped by the fence and called to her. Marthy turned, stared at her sourly, and stood where she was. Wall, what dyuh Want now? she asked uncompromisingly. Billy Louise fought back an answerShe must be just; ing antagonism. she could not blame Marthy for feeling hard toward her. She had insulted them horribly and killed Marthys dog. "I want to tell you Im sorry I was so mean, Marthy, she said bravely. I havent any excuse to make for it; only you must see yourself what a shock It would be to a person to find those cattle down here. But I know youre honest, and so Is Chari e. And I know youll do whats right. Tm sorry I shot your dog, Marthy. Apologies did not come easily to Billy Louise. She wheeled then and rode away at a furious gallop, before Marthy could do more than open her grim lips for reply. self-defens- e. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Ship of the Desert Because of Its peculiar swaying motion In walking, the camel has been called the ship of the desert." This title may also have some reference to the extreme stupidity and passivity of the animal, says Popular Science Monthly, which submits to great loads, which it will often carry for days at a time without stopping for food or drink, with no more urging than a ship would require from the bands of Its pilot. The manner in which the drivers Her Voica Stung With the Contempt hobble the camels when they wop for She Put Into It. a rest Is Interesting. They do not deft brands would never dream we'd bring pend upon stakes driven in the deep, the stock right Into the Cove. Why, yielding sand, but simply double back Miss Louise, even I would know better and tie one end of the forelegs of the than to put our brand on top of animal, so that It cau lie down or rise and expect It to pass Inspection. up, but cannot move from the spot If I wanted to steal cattle, I wouldnt House Full. go at It that way! Britton I understand that Brown Is Billy Louise glanced uncertainly at him and then at Marthy, facing her sore at the government Did they grimly. She did not know what to raise his taxes? Evans No, he had triplet out at think, and she showed It "IIow do you mean the real rus- his house and he wanted the governtlers? sha began hesitatingly; and ment to revise the census. to go through an operation before I could getwelL My mother, who had been helped by LydiaE.Pinhhama Vegetable Com- pound, advised me to try it before submitting to an opera-tioIt relieved me from my troubles so I can do my house work without any difficulty. I advise any woman who is afflicted with female troubles to give Lydia E. Finkhams Vegetable Compound a trial and it will do as much for Mrs. Marie Eoyd, 1421 6th them. St., N. E., Canton, Ohio. Sometimes there are serious conditions where a hospital operation is the only alternative, but on the other hand so many women have been cured by this famous root and herb remedy, Lydia E. Pinkhama Vegetable Compound, after doctors have said that an operation was every woman who wants necessary to avoid an operation should jyve it a fair trial before submitting I such a trying ordeaL If complications exist, write to Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co., Lynn, Mass., for advice. The result of many years experience is at your service. n. Tartars. Singular piece of news, that, of a Tartar army threatening Sebastopol. Its a long while since Tartars have cut much of a figure in war. Once they were the greatest lighting race in the world and overran a large sliarq of Europe and Asia. Buffalo Times. 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