The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-08

SO good, just being friends. And
once we get away from that point,
we can't go back to 1t again, ever
Its going to be quite a con-
tract, Wilhelmina." Ward still
looked at her with his heart in
his eyes.
"Oh, no, it won't, You've had
lots of practice" Billy Louise as
sured him confidently and began
putting the few dishes in a neat
little pile. $50 the next thing on
the program is to bring a bucket
of water. Did you notice anything
different about your cabin? Why,
you hadn't swept the floor, even.
since goodness knows when. And
I've made up bundle of your
dirty shirts and things that |
found under the bed, and I'm 60
| ing to take them home and let
Phoebe wash them. She can do
them this evening and have them
ready for you to bring back to-
morrow. Don't you feel like
coming down to the ranch and
getting a square meal?'
Ward rode home with Billy
Louise and brought his laundry
back with him the next morning,
according to the lady's schedule.
But he left behind him-a rather
out of sorts and worried Wilhel-
minamine, which was his latest
name for her, and all the love
making he dared permit himself
after her rebuff at the cabin.
After Ward had ridden away
Billy Louise rode out on the
range to watch her cattle. Her
eyes had been open to the inn
provements at Wards claim the
day before, and when she ques-
toned him he told her about find
ing the wolf den and that his ex-
ira funds came from the sale of
the pelts. Now Billy Louise did
not believe the wolf story and
when she met Charlie Fox and he
said that several ranchers, among
them Seabeck, had been losing
more cattle, she felt a fear clutch
her heart. Where had Ward got
ten that money? Surely he would
not lie to her, butt Suppose
the rustlers should help them
selves to her cattle next? What
would become of her and NOM
mie then?
She rode up the long ridge
which gave her a wide view of
the surrounding hills, and stop
ped Blue.
Far over to the eastward a
black dot moved up a green slope
and slid out of sight beyound.
That might be Ward, taking a
short cut across the hill to his
claim. Billy Louise sighed with
a vague disquiet and turned to
look away to the north.
Here came two other dots,
larger and more clearly defined
as horemen. They must have
seen her sitting still upon her
horse in the midst of that high,
sunny plateau, for they turned
and rode up the slope toward her.
Billy Louise waited, too de-
pressed to wonder greatly who
they were. Seabeck riders, prob
ably; and so they proved. At least
one of them was a Seabeek man
Floyd Carson. The other man
was a stranger whom Floyd in
| frodunad 90 MFR Rirkau
They had been proving
around" according to Floyd, try
ing to see il they couldn't pick
up the trail of the rustlers. 1t
was not until he had talked for
ten minutes or 80 that Billy Lou
Use became more than mildly in
terested in the conversation.
Say, Miss Mac Donald" Floyd
asked, "how about that fellow
over on Mill Creek? He worked
for you folks a year or So ago,
didn't he? What does he do?"
HE has a ranch" said Billy
Louise with careful calm. Hes
been working on it this summer,
/ believe"
"Uh-huh-we were over there
this morning. Them Y6 cattle
up above his place are his, / reck-
on?"
yes" said Billy Louise. "He's
been putting his wages into cat
tie for ayaer or SO. He worked
for Judkins last winter. Why?"
ooh, nothing, I guess! Only
he's the only stranger in the coun-
try, and his prosperity amt ac-
counted for"
ooh, but it isl" laughed Billy
Louise. 81 only wish | had half
as clear a ticket. When he isn't
working out, he's wolfing; and
every dollar he gets hold of he
puts in that ranch. We've known
him long time"
"Well, of course, IL you know
he's all straight, that settles it.
You run stock in here, too, do
you, Miss Macdonald"
''The big d." answered Billy
Louise and smiled family. I've
been range-feeding them back
here in these foothills this sum-
mer. Do you want to look thru
the bunch?"
"Oh, no, not at all! was won
dering IL you had lost any,"
Nobody would rustic cattle
from a lady, l hope? At any rate
/ haven't missed any yet. The
folks down In the cove have, tho"
Eyes, I've heard they had. That