The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-12-28
CHAPTER II-continued.

"Then the chores aren't done, SUI
nose.' Billy Louise went over an
took a lantern down from its mai
turning I'D the wick so that she coul
light it with the candle. go up t
the fire and thaw out" she invited til
man. We'll have supper in a fey
minutes"
Instead he reached out and took tn
lantern from her as soon as she hal
lighted 1t. "You go to the fire your
self" he said. "I'll do what's neces
sary outside"
sWhy-y''- Billy Louise, her finger:
still clinging to the lantern, looked vi
at him. He was staring down at he
with that intent look she had objected
to on the trail, but she saw his moutf
and the little smile that hid just back
of his lips. She smiled back without
knowing it. IN have to go along
anyway. There are cows to milk, and
you couldn't very well find the COW
stable alone"
Think not?"
Together they went out again into
the storm they had left so eagerly.
Billy Louise showed him where was
lhe pitchfork and the hay and then
did the milking while he piled full the
managers. After that they went to-
gether and turned the shivering work
horses into the stable from the corral
where they huddled, rumps to the
storm, and the man lifted great fork
suls of hay and carried it into their
stalls. while Billy Louise held the Ian
tern high over her head like western
Liberty. They did not talk much, ex-
eept when there was need for speech,
BUT they were beginning to feel lit
tle glow of companionship by the time
they were ready to fight their way
against the blizzard to the house, Billy
Louise going before with the lantern,
while the man followed close behind,
carrying the two pals of milk that
was already freezing in little crystals
to the tin.
81 didn't quite catch your name, mis-
ter" Mrs. Macdonald said after they
had begun the meal. But take an
other biscuit, anyway"
Warren is my name" returned the
man, with that hidden smile because
she had never before given him any
to tell it-"Ward Warren. |
I've got a claim over on Mill creek"
Billy Louise gave little gasp and
poured two spoonfuls Of
sugar in her tea, although she hated it
,weetened-
I've got to tell you why even at the
price of depression. Long ago, when
[Nlly Louise was twelve or so and
lived largely in dream world of her
,wn, she had one day CHANGED upon
in a paper that had come
rom town wrapped around a package
If matches. 1t was all about Ward
Warren. The name caught her fancy,
md the text of the paragraph seized
apon her Imagination Until school
med her mind with other things she
lad built adventures without end in
which Ward Warren was the central
igure. Sometimes, when she rode in
he hills, Ward Warren abducted her
md led her into strange places, where
he tried to sbiver in honest dread.
jften and often, however, Ward War
en- was a fugitive who came to her
OF help. Then she would take him to
!. cave a1d hide him, perhaps, or she
would mount her horse and lead him
" devious ways to safety, and upon
ONE hilltop from which she could
esnt out the route he must follow she
7ould bid him a touching adieu and
eseech him in the impossible Ian
mage OF some old romancer to go and
lad blameIess life.
"Jase has got all gone feelings now,
lOmmie," Billy Louise remarked irrel-
vanity during brief pause and re-
lpsed into silence again. She knew
nat was good for at least five minutes
fjstraight monologue with her motker
that talking mood. She finished Her
upper while Warren listened abstract =
" to complete biography Of the !,
Leil}es and earned all about Marthy's !
f<fgy and Gases shfftlessness.
Ward Warrenw Billy Louise was !
.ying to herself. Ward Warren! i
here couldn't possibly be two Ward Z
7arrens; it's such an odd name. 7
rellr' o
Then she went mentally over that q
She wished she did not k
member every single word of 1t, but Y
lie did And she was afraid to look b
him after that, and she wanted to s
She felt as though he be- a
nged to her. Why, he was her old Il
aymate! And she had saved his life s,
lndreds of times at immense risk to f
n, and he had always been her de- "