Show W a NCI Ri I l 1 l 1 if lie r I II r INI 1 D I OY Dr I f. f Billy Bills Ix boat I t began n to wish sae Mad had nol not tame come me She began to feel eel quite eer nt-i nt that Ward would be surprised 1 and d d ted i.-ted when he found round her there and w w J rook cok ik at her with that faint taint curl curt c 0 or the Hie lip and that fainter lift of ot the nostril above it it w which mado made her go hot all ull over over with the scorn In them them- She ball had bad seen Been him look that way once or twice and in tn spite of ot herself she eho began began be be- gan to picture his lids face tace with th that ex et Billy Louise was on the point of ot rid ing ins away a good deal more hast hastily than she sho had come In the hope that would not oot discover her ber there Tb n tier her own stubbornness came came me uppermost up and sho told herself that she ha had t a perfect right t t to ride wherever she p pleased and that If t Ward Word didn't like it he could do the other thing to the door and stood look in ins out for tor a minute wondering where h tie he was WM T There cre was a little window behind the bunk and beside 4 that a 8 shelf filled ailed with l. l books oo and aril a smoking material and ira She knew by the v very ry art are rang of or that shelf and that Ward liked to Ue lie there on on n the bunt bunk and acid read road while the light tight lasted At the head of the bed hung bung a hoar floor O lIac sack Back hilt half full Lull of or some hard lumpy turf stuff which Billy Louise had tad not no no- Uc l before r Sho felt the bag tentatively tents rent could not guess Its ts co contents t ta and finally took look It down and untied It ik Within were were Irregular scraps and of or stuff hard as aa bone a to one unfamiliar with the fron Ceon tier Billy Louise pulled l out a little piece nibbled a conger corner comer and pronounced mm M f Jerky rm Tm going to Swipe ome f that that that- which b she proceeded to todo todo do 10 to the Ule extent of ot filling h her pocket pock for forto t to those who have learned to like Ilka It ft jerked v venison lson Is La quite as 88 de desirable ks milk mUk chocolate or or Or any other tidbit bit The opposite w wall 1 bad had sacks 0 of floor dour stacked against It and boxes boles 0 of staple canned goods such sud as com coca and tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes toma toma- toes and m milk and aid peaches A A. box boi x pf pt canned peaches stood tood at the e head bead of or orthe the bed and upon pon that a case of ottoma tome toma toes Ward u used ed them hear for tor A table tabie sad and set the lantern there th when he be wanted to read In bed bet Hes got a Ii pretty prett good supply of grub was WAB the T verdict 0 of hilly BlUr Louise sizing sizing- up ilP the assortment hUe she ni nibbled led at t the piece of t je jerky I I wonder where he be Is anyway r Anaa And Ana Anda bela a moment later He oughtn't to hang kang his best clothes up like that They'll be toe all wrinkle i when he wants to putt pail them on She went over and disposed o of th the tha best test clothes to net bee liking and shook 00 oat the dust dost She hid to 00 own to herself that for tor a bachelor lo Ward was very ordeny orderly or or- deny derly though l he ho did dill let tet his his' troU en hang dOwn over over the hoar floor sacks ack In a away away away way to whiten their hems bema She hun hung them In a different p place e. e But where was wils Ward Billy BUly Louisa Louts bethought her ber that Blue deserved something to eat after that hard rids md std led him down t to the tho thoat stable bl There was wes no o sign slin of ot Rattler r and BUI Billy BUly Louise wondered anew at Wards Ward's ab abl sense sence It ft did n not net t seem consistent wl with wain his Chaste to leave the tho Wolverine and ad his frequent a assertion that he must must ge gel gelto to work work rpm From the stable d door she co tools over pr practically the whole cre within his hta fence rence and aDd she could nee th broad sweep swoop 0 of the bill bill t n side On her Ara way back to the cabin she tried to track Rattler but there e were several severn stock trails traUs lea leading in Gt different directions dIrection and tb the tho soil eoll wan was too tau dry to sate leate any distinguishing distin gul h ng marks waited tt d tor for an tUt hour bour or twi twe sit alt alt- ting tang in the We doorway nibbling Jerky jenny tug and trying to read a magazine Then she aha found lound a stub ot of pencil tore out an on ad sd- page which had bad a wide margin mar mar- gin gin and wro wrote I 1 dont don't Wink youre you're a abit abit abit bit nice Why doat doot you ou stay home when a fellow comes to see your Thin she tibe folded neatly and put In tn the cl cigar box bor of or tobacco over oyer Wards Ward's pillow pUlow She Blue and rode away more depressed than ever because O he her dep depression lon was now mixed with a dla dla- V appointment keener than she would have cared d to acknowledge even to herself J i 5 CHAPTER CHAPTER VI VI I The Tate Corral in the Canyon suddenly Just at sundown BlUy Louises Louise's Journeying was ln tn In da a most moat unexpected manner Danner She he was dreaming along r I A flat Bat bottomed canyon looking for an y way WilY across when Blue threw up his head bead listened with his cars ears thrust throat forward and sniffed muffed with widened nos nos- From Byrom his manner almost anything anything any any- thing might lie ahead of ot them And because certain of ot the possibilities would call can for quick action Lf if any of ot them became a certainty Billy Louise tw twisted her gun belt around so BO that her six Bix mi swung within easy reach 4 of f her hand band With her fingers she made wire eure fiat the tho run iron wan waB loose Lu In Its hol- hol ster and kicked Blue mildly as a hint to go on and see what It was all about Blue went forward stepping easily on 00 the soft side hill bill In rough country whatever you 00 want to see Bee Is la nearly always always always al al- ways around a sharp bend you read It BO so Be In the stories and books of ot travels and and when you ride out In Ln the hills bills you find it so 80 in reality Billy Louise rode for tor three or four our minutes before beCore sho aho received any inkling of ot what lay ahead though Blues Blue's behavior during that Interval In had served to reassure her some- some wh whit what t. t He was interested still In what lay 1111 just out of ot sight beyond a shoulder of the hill but bathe be did not ap appear ar to be beIn beIn bein in In the least alarmed Therefore DUl Billy Louise knew It couldn't be a bear ad a any rate They came to the point of the hills hill's shoulder shoUld and Billy Dilly Louise tightened the tha reins Instinctively while she stared at What hat La lay revealed beneath The head pf pt f the gulch was was blocked with a corral email 1 1 mall email high hidden from view on aUld all aU skies eldes ld s save sate fe where bere she ebe stood by the Jagged walls of rock and be heavy vy aspen aspen thickets beyond The corral was waa but the setting for fa what BUI Billy Louise stared stored at t so u. u be A horseman had bad ridden out of l the corral corrol just jast as aa she en came me Into tight sight t had turned d a 8 sharp cor corner er and had hh disappeared by riding up the same sam elope she occupied gift but t farther along and od and la in a a 4 shallow depression d which bid hid Elm completely after that one ocie betel glimpse Of cou course the gulch was 88 dusky with deep shadows WB p end nd d' d she had bad had only a glimpse But the tha horse borse was was wasa a dark c am bay bar and the rider wo Wu waa sUm eUm and tall tail and wore wore a gray 1 hat bat The b heart bent rt of 0 Billy Loutee o fB ru paused a yu M t from its it steady dr 1 h I n f YX L- L TIll This She Folded Neatly and Put InU Inte the tha Cigar Cipar Box ami and then sank eole heavily under a great weight She be wo was WI range born boon and range bred She hud bad sat wide eyed ed eq her Mr daddys daddy's knees and heard beard him tell of ot I losses In ln cattle and horses borsen and of ot corrals con COCo rata rals found bidd hidden away In to strange places and of unknown riders rider who disappeared die dis appeared mysteriously Into loto the hilts bills She had bad heard of ot these things they wore were a part rt of the stage 18 setting for wild dramas of th the West Vest With a white line showing around her bet close pressed lips and a horror hector In her wid wide eyed eTed glance she rodo node quietly along the side aide of at the bh bluff r toward where she had bad seen the horseman borneman din dis appear He was riding a dark bay and be he wore a gray hat and aDd dark coat and bo ho was slim and tall IL nUl Billy Lout Louise made mado a Bound sound that was close to a groan and set Bet her ter teeth hard bard together after ward Sho reached the hillside de just above tho the corral There were cattle down there moving uneasily about In th the shadows Of the horseman there was of ot course no sign Jost agn-Jost just just the corral ant and anda a few restless cattle abut and inside inside and on oa tho the hilltops a soft rose violet glow and la In the sky beyond a blend of purple pur pun pie and deep crimson to show where the sun BUn had bad been Close beside ker kar as aa she stood looking down a little gray bird twittered wistfully I j Billy BUly Louise took a Ii deep breath and rode ode on angling anglin slightly up the bluff so BO 80 that she could cross croos at the head bead ot of the tho gulch It was wal very quiet very peaceful and wildly beautiful this jumble jum jumi ble of hills bUlB and deep gashed canyons But ut at Dilly Billy Louise felt as though something some thing Ing precious had bad died She should gone gono down and investigated and turned rued tho those e cattle loose that loose that Is 18 it U she dared Well she d dared it was not notI I fear r that held her to the upper slopes the did not want to know what brand they hey bore or r an Iron had sear scar ed fed fresh freh marks Oh God Cod I she said once aloud alou and there was a prayer and a protest a purse and a question all In those two So o trouble trouble trouble-trouble trouble that sickened her hei hervery very Tory soul and choked her Into dumb dumb- pees cess 3 and squeezed her heart BO so 0 that the he the of or It was wall agony agony camo came amo and anel code rode de with her through the brooding dusk Rusk of the canyons and over the tha brighter bright hilltops Billy Dilly Louise did dill not remember anything any thing much about that ride except that the she W was S glad the way was long lone Blue parried carried her steadily on and aud on am and needed no guiding and though Wolver Wolter Jue lne ne canyon was black dark duk in Ln most moot laces she liked it so o John Pringle was standing by the gate waiting for h her r which was waa unusual unusual un usual If It Billy Dilly Louise had peen been normal enough to notice it He e came name forward and took Blue h by the bridle when sho she dismounted which was still tm more unusual unusual un usual for tor Billy Louise always cured cared for her own horse both from habit and preference mommie she's sick he be announced an stolidly worry you maybe hurt Yo better go maybe Billy DUly Louise did not answer but ran rau up the path to the cabin Oh Oh has lias everything c got to happen all aU at lt once she cried aloud protesting against the tho implacableness of ot misfortune Ton Tor mommies mommie's sick Phoebe an nn announced bounced in a whisper crazy cause you been so Ion long She's awful bad I guess guns Billy Dilly Louise said nothing but went in hi whore her mother lay moaning her herace ace fince white and turned to the ceIlIng Billy BlUy Louise herself had bad pulled up her hf reserves nerves of or strength and aDd cheerfulness and the fingers she laid on her mothers mother's forehead were cool and steady Poor old mommie r Is It that thaI nasty n lumbago again she asked caressingly and did not permit the tiniest shade of ot anxiety to spoil spell the reassurance of her bet presence I 1 went farther than usual and Blu Blues Blue's d pretty tender so I eased cased him along and Im I'm fearfully late I suppose suppose sup sup- pose youve you've been having all kinds of ot disasters happening to me She Shi was eras passing her fin fingers soothingly over her ber mothers mother's forehead while she explained and she saw that her mother did not moan so 80 much as when she sho came Into the room Of course comae I 1 worried I wish you 10 wouldn't take tako them long rides Oh Ob I Iguess Iguess Iguess guess Its It's lumbago lumbago mostly mostly but seems like Uke It ant aint either cither The P pain tn seems to tobe tobe tobe be mostly In my side She stirred restlessly 1 and moaned again Phoebe been doln doing for tor It Itt t You Tou dont don't seem to have baTe any fever sad and and that's a good thing Ill I'll go fix Ox you yoa one of ot those dandy spice poultices lied Had an any supper Oh Ob I 1 couldn't eat Phoebe made a hop poultice but Its It's awful soppy Well Yell paver never mind Your dear daughter daugh daugh- ter Is In on the job eb j Jb now Shell She'll have you aU all comfy la In just about two minutes Headache mt mu mum All Ail ru Ill Just shake ke op up p 1 your ur j pur and nd H oil ch alich cha cb a dandy daDdy spice poultice I expect X f you'll want aunt nt to eat it tt iti I I BWy Louises Louise's o voice was walt soft sort and bad had a Ii broody brood sweetness when en she wished it t so 80 that soothed more than medicine Her mothers mother's eyes eres closed dosed wearily while the girl rid talked the muscles o of her ber face tRee relaxed a little from their 1 ir look of ot pain BlUy Louise bent and laid her bee Ups lips lightly oc ro her mothers mother's cheek Poor TOOT old oid I Id I'd ba have ve come home a- a a canning If it Id I'd known she was as sick and had bad to ro havo Have nasty sc soppy stuff In the kitchen a very very different BUI Billy BUly l Louisa measured spices and asked a ques question toa now and then In a whisper and bre breathed th d with a repressed unevenness which he betrayed the strain strata she was und un un- d den der derTell Tell John to saddle up and go 0 for forthe forthe the doctor Phoebe and dont don't let Jet mom mew vile mie know whatever you do JQ a This isn't her liar lumbago at alL aU I dont don't know what hat It I. I IB hi I wonder If it a hot tUr turpentine cloth wouldn't be better than this Ive I've Ivea a good tood mind to try it her r eyes are ant aroy glassy y with fever and her ber kin akin Is cold as u a fish sh You tell teU John to burr hurry u up He fie can an ride Boxer Tell TeU him I want him to get a doctor here litre b by tomorrow noon It If h he has haa to kill till his hla horse doIng doIng do- do Ing lag It If That night took toot ate Itu toll toU of or Billy Louise and aDd loft left a seared sered place In la her memory It was waa a night of snapping Ore fire In the cool cook stove that hot water m might ht be always re reedy ready dy of tireless struggle with the pain that came and tortured retired sullenly from BIlly BUly stubborn fighting with poul Pout poultices tices ticen and turpentine cloths and er e every homely homoly remedy she had hId ever heard beard of ot noel nod came again just juat when she thought She he bad had woo won the tight light There wa was no time to give thought to the trouble that had ridden home with her though Its presence was like a ablaCk ablack ablack black shadow behind her ber while she ehe worked and went to and fro tro between bedroom and kitchen kichen and fought that tearing pain She met tho the dawn hollow eyed and BO FO to tired she could not worry very nry much about bout anything Her ITer mother mothel slept uneasily uneasily uneasily un un- easily to prove proe that the battle had bad not |