The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-07

this papers circulation de.
partment. 81
Continued from our last issue.)
After Ward returned to his
claim, Billy Louise had hired a
man, John Pringle by name, and
his little half-breed wife, Phoe-
be. Mrs. Mcdonald had been all
ing all winter, and as the girl
could not afford to hire another
man to herd her cattle, she felt
that having woman in the
house while she was away riding
was necessity.
That was a busy summer for
the girl. She did not in the least
realize that she was attempting
anything out of the ordinary
when she took hdlf-developed
ranch in the middle of a land al
most as wild as 1t had been when
the Indians wandered over it UNI
molsted, a few cattle and horses
and a bundle of debts, and set
herself the problem of wrestling
prosperity out of poverty.
She rode up and down the can
yons to watch the cattle on their
summer range and keep them
from straying. She went with
John Pringle after posts and
helped him fence certain fertile
slopes and hollows for winter
grazing. She drove the rickety
old mower through the waving
grass along the creek bottoms,
and hummed little, contented
tunes while she watched the
grass sway and fall evenly when
the sickle shuttled through.
When she sold seven fat g.
year-old steers that fall and paid
a note twice renewed, managing
besides to buy the winter supply
of grub" and a sewing machine
and set of silver teaspoons for
her mother, oh, but she was
proud.
Ward rode down I'd tie ranch
that night and Billy Louie show
ed him the note with- Is red
stamp, oblong and imposing and
slightly blurred on the paid"
side. Ward was almost as proud
as she, if looks and tones went
for anything.
He spoke of his own work and
plans, as well. He was going in
to cattle, also, as fast an possible,
he said. In a few years the sheep
would probably come in and
crowd them out, but in the
meantime there was money in
cattle-and the more cattle, the
more money. He was going to
work for wages until the winter
set in. He didn't know when he
would see Billy Louise, he said,
but he would stop on his way
back.
70 them that short visit was
something more than an incident.
1t gave Ward new stuff for his
dreams and new fuel for the fire
of ambition. To Billy Louise it
also furnished new dream mater
ial. She rode the hills and saw
in fancy whole herds of cattle
where now wandered scattered
animals. She dreamed of the
time when Ward and Charlie Fox
and she would pool their inter-
ests and run a wagon of their
own, and gather their stock from
wide ranges.
Mentioning Charlie Fox calls
to mind the fact that he was
changing more than any of them.
Billy Louise did not see him very
often, but when she did 1t was
with deepening impression of
his unflagging tenderness to
Marthy.
"Mommie, that nephew goes at
everything just as II it were a
game" she said, after one visit.
You know what the cabin has
always been; dark and dirty, and
not a comfortable chair to sit
down in, or book or magazine
or anything? Well, he's cut two
more windows and built an adj
dition with a porch, IL you please.
And he has a bookcase he made
himself, just stuffed with books
and magazines. And he made
Marthy a rocking-chaiI NOM
mic, and-she wears a white
apron, and has her hair combed,
and sits and rocks! Honest to
goodness you would't think she
was the same woman"
Billy Louise sighed and push
ed her hair back impatienty. 81
wish | were a man and as- smart
as Charlie Fox" she added. "A
man can get out and do things.
Charlie Fox didn't have any more
to do with than I've got, and he's
accomplished a lot more, And
besides, he started In green at
the whole business. G.dr
And yet, when Charlie Fox
rode down to the Wolverine, q
week or SO later, 1t was he who
seemed envious-and Of Billy
Louise.
You know" he said, II am
worried, Miss Louise. I came
over to ask you If you've seen
anything of four calves of ours.
l know you ride a good deal thru
the hills. I've been looking all
through the hills, but I can't To-
cate them"
Billy Louise had not seen them.