The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-09-09

y
With Mr.. Norcross they'll make much
Of it. 1t will give them u chance ut
your father" Her mind turned upon
another point When did Mr.. Nor
cross get his fallT'
On the way back" Here Berrie
hesitated again. Il don't like to tell
you. mother, but he didn't fall; Cliff
jumped him and tried to kill him"
The mother doubted her ears. Cliff
did: How did he happen 10 meet
you!"
Berrie was quick to answer. Il don't
know how be found out we were OH
the trail. SUPPOSE the old lady
camped for noon yesterday" face
lamed again ut thought of that tender.
beautiful moment when they were
resting on the grass-"whle We were
at our lunch he came tearing down the
hill Oh that big bay horse of his and
took II dying jump at Wayland. As
Wayland went down he struck his
head on u stone. | thought he was
dead. and ! was paralyzed for Il Sec
ond. Then | flew ut Cliff and Just
about choked the life out of him. I'D
have ended him right there If he hadn't
| let GO
Mrs Mct'arlane. looking upon her
daughter In anazement. saw on her
face the shadow of the deadly rage
which had burned In her heart as she
c!lnched young Belden's throat.
What then: What happened Them"
He let go. you bet" Her smile
came back.
When did this take placer
Yesterday about . OF course Way
land couldn't ride. he was SO dizzy and
| kind O confused. and so | went into
| camp right there at timber line Along
about sunset Nash came riding ,Ip from
this side and insisted on staying to
help me. SO let him.
| Mrs. McFarlane's tense attitude re-
| laxed Mash is not the kind that tat
ties. I'm glad he turned np."
And this morning saddled and
came down."
| ljlu NitSu 10 pu
Yes. Daddy was waiting for him.
so l let him go along"
Ifs all sad business" groaned Mrs.
MeFarane land l can see you're keep
ing something back. How did Cliff
happen to know just where yOn were.
and what started you back without
your father?"
| For the first time Berrie showed
signs of weakness and distress. why,
yon see, Alec Belden and Mr.. Moore
were over there to look Mt some tim.
ber. and old Marin Belden and that
Moore girl went along. suppose they
sent word to Cliff. and presume that
Moore girl put him OH our trail. Least.
wise that's the way figure it out
That's the worst of the whole bust.
ness" She admitted this with dark.
| ened brow. Mrs. Belden's tongue Is
hung in the middle and loose at both
ends--and that Moore girl Is spiteful
mean" She could not keep the con-
tempt out of her voice.
"t,h wish you hadn't gone" ex
claimed the worried mother.
1T can't be helped now. and 1t hasn'
done me any re;ll harm. It's all In thu
| days work anyhow. I've always g0n,
with daddy before. and this trip ism
going to spoil me. The boys all know
me. and they will treat me fair"
Yes. but Mr.. Norcross is an outsid
er. city man. They will all tflnl
evil of him on that account"
Il know. That's what troubles me
No one will know how fine and con
siderate he was. Mother. I've neve
known any one like him. He's poet
I don't care what people say Of me Il
only they will be just to him. They'v,
got to treat him right" she added
firmly.
Did be speak to you-are you en-
gagedy'
Her head dropped. MOT really en-
gagged mother. but he told me nov
much he liked me. and-it's all right
mother. | know 1t is. I'm not fin,
enough for him. but I'm going to tr.
to change my ways SO he won't D'
ashamed Of me-" "....r
Mrs. McFarlane''s face cleared. ''H'
surely is fine young fellow and Cal
be trusted to do the right thing. Well
we might as well go to bed. We can
settle anything till your father get
home" she said.
| Wayland rose next morning free from
dizziness and almost free from pain
and when he came ont Of his room hi
expression was cheerful. Il feel as l
/ I'd slept Il week. and I'm hungry.
don't know why | should be. but ! am.
| Mrs. McFariane met him with some
thing very intimate. something almos
maternal in her look. but her word
were as few and as restrained as ever
He OWNED that she had been talking
with Berrie and that fairly clear TN
derstanding of the situation had heel
reached That this understanding III
nothing in his manner acknowledged j,
She did not ask any questions. be
lieying that sooner or later the who'll
story must come out The fnct tha
Siona Moore and Mrs Relden knew
that Berrie had started back on Thurs
day with young Norcross made 1t cas-,
4 for the villagers to discover that sh
had not reached the ranch till Satur
day. What could Joe have been think
ing of to allow them to go?" she said
Mr. Nash's presence in the camp mus
be made known. but then there is Gilt
forG's assault upon Mr. Norcross. Ca
the young people chatted the troubles
mother waited in fear. showing tha
In day or two the countryside wonl,
| be afame with accusation